Abstract
Similar to other foods, the concept of natural wine is much debated due to the lack of a clear and regulated definition, leading to a proliferation of heterogeneous norms and standards proposed from different natural wine associations at national levels. The current study explored the aspects which mediate individuals’ information and perception of natural wine, and the rationale behind natural wine consumption behavior among Italian (n = 501) and Spanish (n = 527) regular wine consumers. The results reveal a quite low self-reported degree of perceived information by Italian respondents and slightly higher levels among Spanish ones. The key drivers of natural wine consumption in both countries are wine consumption frequency, information, and natural product interest. In contrast, higher wine involvement levels decrease natural wine consumption frequency in both Italy and Spain. The findings also show that different perceptions lead to diverse motivations, suggesting the need for more homogeneous standards to mitigate the level of information asymmetry currently on the market.
Highlights
The growing awareness of public opinion about the linkage between food and health, as well as on the negative effects that traditional food production practices have on environmental resources, has triggered consumers to be more selective and pay more attention to which components and ingredients are used in the food products they eat in everyday life (Asioli et al 2017).the demand for natural products has grown considerably over the last decade among consumers
Considering variables related to natural wine, the results show that the degree of self-reported perceived information of natural wine positively affects the consumption frequency, in both Italy and Spain
Our findings indicate that lower levels of wine involvement lead to higher natural wine consumption frequency in both countries
Summary
The growing awareness of public opinion about the linkage between food and health, as well as on the negative effects that traditional food production practices have on environmental resources, has triggered consumers to be more selective and pay more attention to which components and ingredients are used in the food products they eat in everyday life (Asioli et al 2017).the demand for natural products has grown considerably over the last decade among consumers. The notion of “natural” has become one of the leading label claims on new food products launched to satisfy new consumer demands and market niches (Roman et al 2017; Hemmerling et al 2016). Naturalness leads consumers to perceive food products as healthier and more environmentally friendly than conventional ones (Rozin et al 2012; Caracciolo et al 2019) but Vecchio et al Agricultural and Food Economics (2021) 9:22 tastier, evoking an enhanced hedonic experience (Chambers and Castro 2018; Siegrist and Hartmann 2020). The increasing amount of low-intervention, additive, and processing aid-free wines represents a strong trend in several important markets (Wine Intelligence 2021). Various producers’ associations and organizations are actively promoting natural wine, among them are the Asociación de Productores de Vino Natural and Vella Terra in Spain and Triple A, Viniveri, VinNatur, and Vignaioli Artigianali Naturali (VAN) in Italy (Catellani 2015)
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