Wine Consumer Behaviour Research Articles

Understanding wine consumer behavior: Recent insights and open issues

- Research into the processes underlying consumer behavior related to wine has made great strides in the past decade, most notably through institutions and individuals in the "New World", but also in Europe. This article contains a unique overview of work conducted by the world's leading researchers in the dynamic field of wine consumer behavior. Given the diversity of wine consumer behavior research, and the proliferation of high-end studies this article strives to achieve a balance between reviewing recent developments of particular significance and highlighting possible areas for future studies.

The Irish wine market: a market segmentation study

PurposeThe Irish wine market has experienced unprecedented growth in the last 15 years; drivers of growth include increased affordability and accessibility of wine and improved branding. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the Irish wine market may be meaningfully segmented for successful brand positioning.Design/methodology/approachThis research adopts a lifestyle segmentation approach by linking lifestyle values, product attributes and buying and consumption patterns. The primary research is descriptive in design, employing a self‐administered questionnaire to collect quantitative data on wine consumer behaviour. Efforts made to ensure a highly representative sample included choosing a large sample size, administering the questionnaire in a range of outlets, and gathering information from wine drinkers with wide ranging involvement levels.FindingsThe research identifies three clusters of wine consumers: casual wine buyer, value seeking wine buyer, and wine traditionalist. Together, the clusters provide an insight into consumers' behaviour. The high correlation of statistics from this research with those of The Wine Development Board suggests the data findings are representative of the population.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of adopting a behavioural basis in conducting the segmentation is the highly descriptive nature of the resulting data. Examining behaviours give an insight into how consumers act, but fails to take into account the underlying motivations and rationale for consumer actions. The use of more complex segmentation bases, such as value systems and lifestyles may yield a richer understanding of the Irish wine consumer.Originality/valueThe profiles provide wine marketers with an insight into Irish wine consumer behaviour. The demographic information and the buyer behaviour data provide marketers with points of access to their target market. Brand positioning can be improved by ensuring the brand communicates and emphasises the product attributes, which the targeted segments value the most when choosing wine.

Green Wine Market Segmentation in the North of Portugal: the case of restaurateur managers

Although being completely true that special knowledge is required to make wine, special knowledge is also required to trade it. The development of knowledge to make better wine has occupied the minds of academics, scholars and producers for centuries, but the knowledge of a special effort to do business with wine is embryonic. Historically, the success factors for wine companies lay on production technology and products' quality. However, the growing competitiveness in the market now requires a much more in-depth analysis of consumer behaviour aiming a better satisfaction of their needs. The wine market is growing in sophistication and the opportunities for market segmentation are increasing. This paper provides a broad review of some studies published about the wine consumer behaviour, with applications in the context of market segmentation. Using as segmentation base nine variables that measure the importance attributed to tangible and intangible features in the process of wine acquisition, we propose a classification of the restaurateur managers in the north of Portugal into two groups.Key words: Market segmentation. Wine market. Portugal.

Wine purchase decisions and consumption behaviours: Insights from a probability sample drawn in Auckland, New Zealand

At the point of purchase in retail locations, multiple factors exert an influence on consumers’ decisions of which wine to buy. Among wine drinking New Zealand consumers living in Auckland, the rank ordered importance (most to least important) of 13 such factors was: ‘Tasted the wine previously’, ‘Grape variety’, ‘Brand name’, ‘Medal/award’, ‘Someone recommended it’, ‘Origin of the wine’, ‘I read about it’, ‘Matching to food’, ‘Promotional display in-store’, ‘Information on the shelf’, ‘Information on the back label’, ‘Attractive front label’, ‘Alcohol level below 13%’. Participants’ level of involvement with wine moderated the importance attached to the 13 factors and consumers with higher levels of involvement with wine recalled in greater detail the last bottle of wine they had purchased. Methodologically, two aspects distinguish this research from other similar consumer surveys. Best–worst scaling, as opposed to direct rating of factor importance was used. Further, probability sampling, which is infrequently used in the field of sensory and consumer science was implemented. Through a postal survey, the data was collected from a systematic random sample ( n = 554) drawn from the 2006 Auckland phone book. Full details are given of how this probability sampling approach was executed.

A preliminary study of the relationship between Australian wine consumers' wine expertise and their wine purchasing and consumption behaviour

Few Australian wine companies have the resources to acquire consumer relevant information to assist their strategic decision-making. This exploratory study examined the relationship between Australian consumers' wine expertise and their self-reported wine related behaviours, such as wine purchasing and consumption. A measure of consumer wine expertise developed specifically for the Australian consumer, comprising a wine knowledge test and an aroma identification (sensory) test, was used to segment 61 wine consumers into three expertise levels. A large positive correlation between wine expertise and formal wine training was demonstrated. Data showed that females dominated the low and males the high expertise groups, respectively. The high expertise level consumers spent more on wine, purchased more bottles and fewer casks per month and consumed more wine in a week than the low and medium expertise groups. Analysis revealed significant differences between the styles of wine consumed by the various expertise levels. A combination of Factor and Cluster analyses generated three distinct consumer segment profiles based on wine purchase drivers. These preliminary data indicate that wine consumers' wine behaviour may be influenced by their wine expertise.

Beyond drinking: the role of wine in the life of the UK consumer

AbstractSince the development of wine sales via supermarkets in the UK in the 1970s wine consumption has more than doubled so now the UK is the largest wine import market (by value) in the world. Wine is now consumed by approximately 61% of the UK adult population on a regular basis. For many social wine consumption has become part of their lifestyle. Given the international importance of the UK wine market, plus the increasing incorporation of wine into regular consumption behaviour, it is remarkable how few academic studies have been undertaken into the consumption behaviour of moderate, social UK wine consumers. This paper aims to start developing that knowledge, thus adding to our understanding of consumer behaviour in general. The results show that consumers use wine in very sophisticated ways via purchasing, gifting and consumption. The findings also show that social interaction with wine varies significantly, dependant upon occasion and environment. Behaviour also varies if the purchase, as gift and/or for consumption, is perceived as a private or public activity. This paper places UK wine consumer behaviour within a social context, and is able to show that all consumers display a range of behaviours in relation to wine which are situation and occasion dependant.

The wine consumer's behaviour in selected stores of Italian major retailing chains

PurposeThe principal aim of this article is to examine attitudes of Italian consumers in relation to wine, identifying specific types of wine buyers.Design/methodology/approachA sample of 442 Italian wine consumers has been surveyed and three measurement instruments have been developed for grouping the observations by means of multivariate statistical analysis. The study then investigates both the consumer and product characteristics that significantly differentiate between the derived clusters of buyers and finally provides an external validity check.FindingsAlthough the study is exploratory in nature, there is evidence that four wine‐related consumer segments exist in our sample. These segments are habitual wine buyers, rational buyers, interested consumers, and professionals of promotions.Originality/valueFor wine marketers, the results of this research clearly support the need for a targeted approach to their consumer market. The study identifies the principal consequences of the results in order to provide both retailers and producers some useful marketing suggestions.

Spanish wine consumer behavior: A choice experiment approach

AbstractOverall wine consumption in Spain is decreasing, while at the same time, designation of origin (DO) wine consumption is increasing gradually. This study examines Spanish DO wine consumer behavior by the use of a choice experiment technique. A main‐effects model as well as an interaction‐effects model is estimated based on four attributes: designation of origin, price, wine aging, and grape variety. Willingness‐to‐pay estimates, depending on the price segment, is derived for switching from one attribute level to another. Consumer segmentation is undertaken based on purchase frequencies. Market simulations are presented for consumer segments. Empirical results indicate the importance of the DO and the wine aging attributes on wine selection. The interaction‐effects model shows the importance of attribute interactions on consumers' choice process. Differences as well as similarities are detected among consumer segments. [EconLit citations: D120, Q120, Q130]. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 22: 343–362, 2006.

PERCEPTION OF MOUTHFEEL SENSATIONS ELICITED BY RED WINE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH SENSITIVITY TO 6‐N‐PROPYLTHIOURACIL

ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationship between sensitivity to the bitterness of 6‐n‐propylthiouracil (PROP) – a genetically determined trait used as an index of general taste acuity – and a range of oral sensations elicited by 16 varietal red wines. Seventeen subjects were trained using descriptive analysis (DA) techniques and developed a lexicon consisting of three taste and 10 tactile attributes representing sensations experienced both in‐mouth (IM) and after expectoration (AE). Analysis of variance showed that PROP super‐tasters (ST) (n = 8) rated 11 of these 13 sensations differently compared to PROP nontasters (NT) (n = 8), specifically acidity, saltiness, heat/irritation, tingle/prickle, particulate IM, particulate AE, smoothness IM, smoothness AE, grippy/adhesive, mouthcoat and overall astringency. The greater sensitivity of ST to the textural components of red wine is discussed in the context of greater lingual acuity and implications for DA panels, psychophysics and wine consumer behavior.

Generic Consumer Risk‐Reduction Strategies (RRS) in Wine‐Related Lifestyle Segments of the Australian Wine Market

Wine is widely regarded as a ‘complicated’ product and for the majority of consumers the purchasing of wine in the retail situation evokes considerable risk. Marketers are therefore constantly and increasingly trying to demystify wine in order to reduce the perceived risk levels of consumers in the purchase situation. Most previous research in the area of perceived risk literature tended to focus on the concept of risk and its measurement rather than on risk‐reduction. This study examined the preferred risk‐reduction strategies (RRS) employed by identified wine‐related lifestyle segments in the Australian wine market and linked these strategies to the wine retail environment. Relying on favourite brands or so‐called ‘safe brand’ buying was found to rank highest as a risk reduction strategy in the commercial (under $15 per bottle) and premium‐to super‐premium ($15‐$25) price ranges while the opportunity to try before buying ranked highest in the ultra‐premium ($25) price range. The results obtained have major implications for retailers and form the foundation for a competitive advantage. It also indicates the direction for future research in this strategically important area of wine consumer behaviour.

Cross‐cultural Analysis of Wine Consumption Motivations

This paper investigates the influence of ethnologically based cultural factors on the motives and occasions for wine consumption both in Australia and overseas. As the international market for wine expands, global marketers have begun searching for new ways to define trans‐national segments. In particular, the success of Australian wines in the UK has provided a strong base for expansion into the competitive European market One key decision must involve what degree of differentiation the marketing program for each country will contain. Because many marketing theorists see ethnic or cultural background as one of the major underlying determinants of consumer behaviour this decision becomes quite critical. Others argue that consumption of wine is not culturally dependent but based on either a common set of motivations or is determined solely by the occasion in which wine will be consumed. To study this hypothesis a questionnaire was administered to approximately 500 respondents from a variety of Australian and European backgrounds. A single cross‐sectional design was employed. Respondents were primarily selected using a random sampling procedure with quotas boosted for some cultural groups by a convenience sampling process. The four chosen for analysis were Italian, Greek, German and Australian. It was found using an occasion‐based segmentation approach that there were significant differences between wine consumers of different cultural backgrounds. It is concluded that cultural factors do impact on the consumption process of wine and should be considered in any proposals for trans‐national segmentation strategies. However it is also shown that there are some motivational factors that are not culturally dependent. These factors are prime reasons for general wine consumption behaviour and could be used if an undifferentiated global! approach to wine segmentation is the most efficient for the marketer.

Perceptual Dififerences Among Visitor Groups to Wineries

At present there is little information concerning the characteristics of people who visit wineries and how marketing programs should be organized to attract tourists in the most effective manner. A study of people who visit Texas wineries was conducted to examine the perceptions and behavior of segments of winery tourists. Findings indicate two distinct segments with different perceptions and wine consumption behavior.