Is the party over? Prosecco sales in the UK fall for the first time in a decade

Prosecco has become a staple of any party or meet-up between friends but it seems that Britain’s love affair with the drink is coming to an end.

Figures show that sales of the bubbly favourite have fallen by 7% after a decade of growth.

Exports to Britain of Italian sparkling wine – most of which is prosecco – stood at over 33 million bottles.

There are various factors into why there has been a drop in exports, including a claim by British dentists that prosecco’s acidity and sugar content was a contributor to tooth decay.

However, Luca Zaia, governor of the Veneto region, where prosecco is produced, called the reports ‘the umpteenth Anglo-Saxon crusade against Italian products’.

Italian farmers group Coldiretti also hit out at the claims, saying: ‘Nationalistic fake news designed to discredit the Italian drink seems to have had an impact on sales.’

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Other possible reasons for the fall are the increasing popularity of other alcoholic drinks, including gin, English sparkling wines and rosé.

Prosecco may claw back its winning popularity as Christmas approaches, while Aldi has launched what it claims to be a ‘hangover-free’ bottle of bubbly.