Champagne sales fall flat

Monday 30th December 2019

Get straight to the good stuff every day with the Multiply Minute; a lightning-quick round-up of the money news and how it affects you.

Falling out of love with bubbles

Celebrating? You probably aren’t doing it with a bottle of champers. Sales of champagne plummeted by 28% in the last 12 months as its popularity in the UK continues to trickle away. The Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) put it down to young people drinking less and a tax increase on sparkling wine.

Chop chop on climate change

Bank of England boss Mark Carney had a warning for firms on his way out of the role. Speed up actions or the world will face irreversible heating. Carney made the stark statement in the run up to beginning a new role as United Nations special envoy for climate change and finance next year. He noted that the financial sector had already taken steps to curb investment in fossil fuels but progress had been too slow.

Call for UK railway overhaul

The New Year is coming and that means a hike in rail fares will be pulling in right behind it. As regulated fares are set to rise by an average of 2.7% next week, the Campaign for Better Transport are calling for radical change to the end the procession of “nightmare journeys”. Top of their agenda to improve services? Scrapping franchises, reforming fares and giving control to city regions.