3 - Consumer behavior toward wine products

Abstract

The new wine scenario, a consequence of the globalization of the world’s wine market, has resulted in a new geographical map for wine where the number of wine consumers is constantly increasing. The main objective of this work is to create a literature review of the behavior of wine consumers. This chapter analyzes recently published wine literature and provides a discussion of how different elements, such as the individual characteristics of the consumer, the place chosen for buying the wine, the moment of purchase, and wine characteristics, affect the behavior of wine consumers. Emerging from this literature review is evidence of the important role that pleasure plays in the consumption of wine for the younger generation and also when consumers are on holiday. Consumers coming from traditional wine countries, and those coming from new ones, often tend to assume a similar behavior in their approach to wine.