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Coronavirus Drops Sales of Alcohol, Wine Industry Drinks Cup

2020-04-03T16:57:27.984Z


We should expect a drop in sales of the order of "40 to 50%", according to the National Committee of Wine Interprofessions (CNIV).


When the confinement was announced, the world of wine shuddered: was the sale of alcohol " essential to the life of the nation " or not? The government decided quickly: yes, wine merchants will have the right to open. However, many of them preferred to lower the curtain despite everything. And for good reason: the French do not seem to have the heart to drink.

Read also: The dangerous temptation of alcohol to fight boredom or anxiety

According to figures reported by Iri and the Nielsen law firm, most consumer products in supermarkets saw their sales increase during the first week of confinement, in the range of 12 to 40%. But not alcohol: sales of spirits and champagnes even fell by 3%. This figure was -1.8% for wine, before stabilizing: in the first two weeks, the drop in sales was 0.2% in the wine department, according to Eric Marzec, wine specialist at Iri, interviewed by LSA.

Cafes, bars and restaurants are an outlet that we have lost. The usual consumer circuit is not operational, ”explains a spokesperson for the wine sector. The phenomenon did not really create an air appeal on the side of the large distribution. " We observe an epiphenomenon of" Skype aperitifs "but it is really Parisian-Parisian, is still sweeping the spokesperson . As the confinement will last a certain time, the situation is more than worrying . ”

The slump is deep for French producers. Jean-Marie Barillere, president of the National Committee of the Interprofessions of Wines (CNIV), estimates that one should expect a fall in sales of the order of " 40 to 50% " as regards wine, all outlets confused. Champagne should expect an even more severe fall: “ it is a festive and social alcohol. This is not what people need at the moment, ”regrets the man who has the double hat of president of the Union of Champagne Houses.

The producers who supply the mass distribution are still the lucky ones, since it is the outlet that resists the coronavirus crisis the best. For those who would have chosen not to depend on mass distribution, the slope looks steep. Not everyone is armed to make direct sales or deliveries, a fortiori now that La Poste's services have been restricted. " I fear that some small producers are going out of business ," said Loïc Tanguy, Founder of the Les Grappes distribution network. " This is the first time that winemakers have begged us to be part of our online wine fair, which we have chosen to maintain."

Gloomy period for the wine industry

For the wine industry, this episode is the latest in a black series. A year ago, Donald Trump raised tariffs on European wine, but the United States is the first export outlet for French producers. And since the beginning of the year, Asian countries no longer import because of the coronavirus. Industry players are expecting another blow with Brexit at the end of the year, which will further limit opportunities.

Read also: Coronavirus: "There are no shortages in France", insists Jean-Bapiste Djebbari

It is also impossible to promise producers a rebound in consumption after containment. " I don't know how we're going to get out of this crisis," explains Jean-Luc Zell, director of Château d'Agassac, in Haut Médoc , sadly. I also do not know how we are going to get out of the export crisis, everything is almost at a standstill. This morning, I prepared four orders for individuals ”. Part of the staff has been placed on partial unemployment, except in the vineyards, because nature " has its calendar ". The company is now counting on state support measures to prevent its cash flow from melting. Like other French producers, winegrowers can benefit from the solidarity fund set up by the government, deferrals of payment of certain charges, and the support plan for exporting companies.

Source: lefigaro

All business articles on 2020-04-03

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