France destroys 35,000 ‘champagne’ soda bottles

French border police in Le Havre have destroyed around 35,000 bottles of a soda drink that falsely claimed to be champagne. The bottles, originating from Haiti and containing a bright orange liquid, were seized in October 2021 after customs officials noticed the label “Couronne Fruit Champagne.”

The use of the term “champagne” is reserved exclusively for sparkling wine products from the French Champagne region, according to France’s Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system, which grants exclusive rights to certain geographical indications. The bottles were intended for sale in the French market.

The destruction of these bottles reinforces the importance of the AOC regulation and serves to protect the reputation of the appellation, as stated by Charles Goemaere, the director-general of the Champagne Committee. This action is part of the ongoing effort to combat the misuse of the Champagne name, which has been protected since 1844.

Previously, the same product had faced an investigation and recall due to excessive benzoic acid levels. This incident follows a similar case in which over 2,000 bottles of American beer referred to as the “Champagne of Beer” were destroyed in Belgium at the request of the Champagne Committee.

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