An approach to eco-innovation in wine production from a consumer's perspective

Abstract

The current demand for healthy and sustainable foods has encouraged the development of new alternatives, even in traditional agri-food products such as wine. However, humans are programmed to prefer familiar foods and sometimes food innovations face rejection from consumers. In this study, we evaluate consumers' wine and food technology neophobic attitudes, using the Wine Neophobia Scale (WNS) and the Abbreviated Food Technology Neophobia Scale (AFTNS). As food innovation is currently linked to sustainability, consumers’ prioritization of environmentally sustainable actions was also evaluated. Using cluster analysis, three main segments were identified, which differed according to food neophobia tendency, environmental awareness, wine attitudes and preferences and socioeconomic characteristics. The results show that the more open a consumer is towards wine innovation (lower tendency to wine neophobia and food technology neophobia attitudes), the more aware he or she is about protecting the environment. Such findings encourage wine producers and processors in the development of new and sustainable products focused on highly specific consumer segments.