Despite restrictions preventing family gatherings over Christmas 2020, UK shoppers celebrated with a surge in sparkling wine sales, showing a clear shift towards treating themselves at home. Retailers across the country reported significant growth in bubbly purchases, with Lidl selling 1 million bottles of pink Prosecco alone during the festive period.

Data from supermarkets revealed that Prosecco led the charge in volume, while Champagne also enjoyed a strong uplift, reflecting consumers’ willingness to spend more on premium wine during lockdown. Retailers such as Waitrose, M&S, and Lidl all saw strong performances across their sparkling portfolios, with new arrivals like Prosecco Rosé hitting the shelves just in time to meet Christmas demand.

Pink Prosecco makes a sparkling debut

One of the standout successes of the season was the debut of Prosecco Rosé, which was approved for UK sale in November 2020—perfectly timed for Christmas. Lidl’s pink fizz flew off the shelves, with 1 million bottles sold, while M&S reported 840,000 bottles of its own Prosecco Rosé sold over the same period. According to Rebecca Hull MW, sparkling wine buyer at Waitrose, the retailer’s La Gioiosa Rosé Millesimato proved “incredibly popular.”

Importantly for retailers, pink Prosecco did not cannibalise sales of traditional white Prosecco, but instead expanded the category—offering consumers a new and festive option for seasonal celebrations. M&S reported that its original Prosecco also performed well, with 1.34 million bottles sold, up 7% compared to 2019.

Crémant de Bourgogne emerges as a rising star

While Prosecco continued to dominate the volume market, the festive period also highlighted the growing appeal of mid-tier sparkling wines, especially crémant de Bourgogne. Positioned between Prosecco and Champagne in both price and style, crémants saw remarkable growth in UK retail.

M&S reported a 136% year-on-year increase in sales of its award-winning Classics Crémant de Bourgogne, a clear sign that consumers are exploring alternatives to more traditional options. Export data supported the trend, with crémant shipments to the UK up 33.1% by volume and 54.4% by value in the 11 months leading to December 2020.

For Marcel Combes, director at Louis Boillot and spokesperson for UPEC Bourgogne, the UK’s enthusiasm for crémant signals a shift in drinking culture. “You can sometimes see 10 different Proseccos on the shelves, and I hope one day to see some recognition of the eight different crémants in France,” he said, pointing to the potential for crémant to become a staple of British wine aisles.

Crémant answers the call for affordable indulgence

Sales data from Louis Boillot showed explosive growth, with UK December sales up 72% over 2019, not including the brand’s new listing in Sainsbury’s. This boom highlights the UK’s unique market conditions: while on-trade sales of crémant slumped in countries like France (-25%), Canada (-14%), and the US (-2%), UK retail sales soared as consumers embraced crémant at home.

With price points typically between £10 and £15, crémant de Bourgogne offers a balance of quality and affordability. As consumers sought small luxuries during a lockdown Christmas, crémant offered a premium-feeling sparkling wine without the Champagne price tag.

As the UK continues to embrace at-home celebrations and explore new sparkling options, crémant de Bourgogne may well emerge as a long-term favourite—meeting the demand for wines that feel festive, taste refined, and remain accessible.