The '40%' of Champagne

40% seems to be a magic, or rather cursed, number for Champagne at the moment, according to what we read in The Drinks Business. The latest numbers from the CIVC show a drip in shipments to Great Britain with 40% for the first four months of this year, and Rémy Cointreau reports a drop in sales with 40%. But all is not so dark. Not quite. Moet shipped 35% less during the first three months and global sales at Laurent Perrier fell with 25%. They also mention that prices are going down and that it is not excessively difficult to get discounts when buying. In view of the price increases in recent years it is perhaps not so surprising.