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Bubbly was a sparkling success worldwide last year but fizzled out in the UK where Brexit doubts saw UK imports down 8.7%.

Despite global champagne sales being down 2.1% in volume it was, overall, a second good year for the industry. The 鈧�4.71billion of sales comes after a record 鈧�4.74bn in 2015 鈥� meaning 306million bottles were sold.

Quieter sales in the home market, with 2.4% less sold in France, was offset by a switch to higher-value labels but the brutal devaluation of sterling saw UK sales down 14% in value to 鈧�440m from 鈧�512m鈥� and champagne overtaken by prosecco.

The industry group Comit茅 Champagne said bubbling sales worldwide marked economic growth in many markets, with New Zealand up 25%, South Africa up 15%, South Korea up 14%, Mexico 12%, Canada 9% and US 5% (the leading global market with 鈧�540m of sales). Brazil, however, was down 22% and Portugal 16%.

In the UK, The Caterer magazine said the premium end of the market was holding up but shoppers were 鈥渨alking away from cut-price champagne, and that aggressive discounting tactics are no longer effective鈥�.

This pleases champagne producers and exporters who have sought to avoid concentrating on sales volume and UK Comit茅 Champagne director Fran莽oise Peretti said: 鈥淰olume is nice but, for the good of champagne, it must always take second place.鈥�