by Sophie Kevany
Sales at the annual autumn supermarket wine fairs in France have not escaped the effects of the ongoing financial turmoil. Known as the ideal hunting grounds for top quality wines at cheap prices, sales are estimated to be down at least 6% on last year.
"The 2008 wine fairs have certainly not been the ‘vintage of the century’, said Olivier Mouchet of Auchan, one of the largest French supermarket chains.
Although he would not give exact figures for the drop in sales, Mouchet said a survey, carried out this September by the supermarket trade publication LSA, showed 24% of shoppers said they wanted to buy ‘much less than usual’ and 15% ‘less than usual’.
"We beat records in terms of the number of people, but they bought a lot less,” he added.
In Bordeaux, Guillaume Halley, director of Champion, a smaller supermarket chain, was more direct. "Sales were down 6% on 2007, but about the same as 2006,” he said.
Halley said turnover in 2007 was boosted by demand for the popular 2005 vintage, of which few stocks are left. But even apart from the post 2005 slump, Halley said he had not sold a single bottle of top of the range premier cru classé wine, in the €500 plus category. Given that supermarket wine fairs are known as the place for high priced bargains, and that demand for premier cru classé wines traditionally exceeds supply, the zero sales rate is unexpected.
Halley also said there was difficulty selling anything in the €60 to €250 category. "In fact the only progression was in the €10 to €15 category,” he said. "Wines for everyday drinking.”
