A gender approach to wine innovation and organic wine preferences

Abstract

The development of innovative products, such as novel wines, is rejected by certain consumers that value attributes that may conflict with innovation. This is the case of the organic production label. The present study examined the impact of gender on wine purchasing preferences for innovative and organic wines. The findings showed that price is the most important attribute for both men and women when buying wine. The results also revealed that women assign greater importance to the production system (organic/conventional) than men. The segmentation generated according to the level of wine neophobia revealed significant differences between men and women in the frequency of wine consumption and the socioeconomic variables considered (age, educational level and income). The level of wine neophobia was higher in women than in men, but, in both genders, it increased with age and decreased as income and educational level increased. Women’s lesser interest in innovative wines and their more positive attitude towards organic wines encourages the consideration of women as a segment in which tradition and naturalness related to wine should be specifically taking into account.