November 9th, 2009 | 
Author: France’s biggest retailer, Carrefour, will be selling the country’s trademark prestige drink on the cheap side this Christmas. Anyone who walks into its stores this yule season will be able to buy a bottle of bubbly for less than a tenner.
In a move that has angered many in the production side of the Champagne industry, the retail chain has announced that it will be offering champagne for “fewer than ten euro’s a bottle for the holiday season”. This is a remarkable discount on the price for both French and foreign drinkers, as the legally-protected name of ‘Champagne’ often carries both prestige and price.
For example, in the UK Carrefour counterpart Tesco sells no brand of Champagne for cheaper than £16. Whilst sparkling white wine is available for cheaper, to be called Champagne the drink must have originated in the Champagne valley of France and its ingredients must be of a high standard. Carrefour’s christmas promotion could give British holiday makers a rare chance to buy authentic French champage at an affordable price.
As Carrefour is the country’s largest retail chain, anyone on a french holiday this Christmas should be able to easily take advantage of the offer. The retail chain currently operates 1,021 supermarkets and 218 hypermarkets across France. There is usually at least one carrefour supermarket in each of the country’s ‘communes’. They are present nationwide, from Paris to the Bouluzac region of Dordogne.
Christopher Blaise, the manager for Carrefour in the Champagne region’s capital, Reims, explained that the promotion would be a “loss leader” and “will not target serious champagne lovers.” Though the reduced prices will benefit retailers such as Carrefour by attracting customers to their stores and will directly benefit customers, many in the industry have been critical of the promotion.
“It’s terrible to devalue the product in this way but given the financial difficulties its understandable” said Paul-Francois Vranken, chairman of Vranken Pommery, one of the most prestigious champagne brands.
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