Moët Hennessy and their “green” champagne

Many know about Moët Hennessy as one of the most luxurious wine and spirits producers in the world as part of the LVMH group, but few know that they are raising the bar of sustainable production in the entire sector. 

Moët Hennessy has reached new-time green standards in their production process. They have been able to decrease water consumption from 4.5 litres per bottle of Champagne to 3 litres, decrease bottle weight by 50 per bottle with no impact on its integrity and invest in high environmental quality buildings. Additionally, they are currently planning to stop using herbicides in their Champagne vineyards and to capture and store CO2 from fermentation. These efforts have been crucial to improving MH’s perception, putting it on the radar of the environmentally-conscious luxury brands that are de facto moving towards a greener mindset year after year.

The luxury-sustainability pairing has always been controversial since it was for long thought that one was excluding the other. However, it is always more clear that brands need to engage in green activities to stay relevant. This is determined by both an increasing interest towards sustainable production processes in the consumers and an increase in having access to information that concern such matters, even if brands themselves do not communicate about it. Buying a sustainable luxury item that is known to have been realized in line with the eco-friendly measures allows the client to feel that he/she is not damaging the environment, even with their festive Dom Pérignon bottle. This is also a result of the rise of social pressure towards luxury consumers.

New generation customers care more about sustainability than previous generations. These customers are turning to environmentally friendly brands and supporting companies that take action against climate change. In line with this, many brands try to fulfil their responsibilities towards environmental subjects.

“Until recently, marketing would focus mainly on product and brand image. But now people look for whether you’re both socially and environmentally responsible. People look at brands and ask what they do for the world. If you don’t do this stuff, you’re not a modern brand.” — Charles Gibb, Belvedere’s CEO

Luxury brand leaders not only reach their customers but also people who dream about their brands. Thus they have the power to influence people’s minds. So if brands become more sustainable then customers will follow their steps. They can educate people about the benefits of taking care of the environment through campaigns that show their real contribution. They can also launch fundraisers and support organizations that contribute to a more sustainable world. Nevertheless, there is always the risk of brands being perceived as greenwashing which will negatively impact the way they are perceived in the customers’ minds.

Luxury is eponymous with high quality and price but that does not “per se” imply that it is always sustainable. By nature, only a few luxury brands are ethical and concerned about the environment. Most of them have their production located very far from their headquarters, use materials that are not sustainable (ex. animal skin) & produce a lot of waste. Nevertheless, we see a growing demand for more eco-friendly products which puts the luxury industry under pressure. Customers are buying products that last forever rather than lasting one season. In the future, there is a possibility that luxury becomes by nature sustainable but there is a long way to get there - one that requires a lot of demanding work.

References:

H. Halmari. (2020). Top champagne producer sees sustainability as an opportunity, not a threat. SustainableWine.uk

https://sustainablewine.co.uk/top-champagne-producer-sees-sustainability-as-an-opportunity-not-a-threat/

Winston, Andrew. “An Inside View of How LVMH Makes Luxury More Sustainable”. Harvard Business Review. January 11, 2017 https://hbr.org/2017/01/an-inside-view-of-how-lvmh-makes-luxury-more-sustainable