The UK imported 34.5M bottles of bubbly in 2003 - 10% more than in 2002 and 51% more than in 1988.
Britain has long been champagne’s biggest export market, seconded by a distant US and Germany.
In fact, the people of Reims will shortly be unveiling a statue in the centre of their town in recognition of generations of a fine British drinking tradition.
The champagne industry attributes the recent British increased enthusiasm to two factors:
> The British economy is doing well and that lends itself to celebrations
> Large retailers who now control the distribution channels for champagne have forced down prices.
It is still worth noting though that the French consume nearly two-thirds of all champagne produced - that is five times as much as the Brits. So there is still a lot of reason to celebrate in France.
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The UK imported 34.5M bottles of bubbly in 2003 - 10% more than in 2002 and 51% more than in 1988.