(TheDrinksBusiness) - Lanson International’s second annual Champagne Category Report has highlighted strong consumer demand for more information about how individual brands taste, as well as a major area of missed opportunity in the UK on-trade. Despite CGA Strategy reporting that the UK’s top end outlets, which it classifies as “Platinum” and “Gold”, have the highest rate of sale for Champagne within the on-trade, the data analysts found that just 50% of these venues stock Champagne.

According to Lanson’s report, “if it were possible to achieve 100% distribution across these outlets, it would deliver a staggering estimated incremental value of £206.3 million to the category.”  Meanwhile research conducted by research firm Futuresights showed that 60% of consumers felt style or taste was the best way to categorise Champagne, compared to 28% who preferred the price-led model.