Sustainable Consumer Preferences in the Wine Industry
Summary
Consumer interest in sustainably produced wine has deepened as environmental, social and health concerns converge to reshape purchasing decisions. Across major producing regions, buyers increasingly seek transparency on production methods, labelling and credentials that attest to reduced chemical inputs, lower carbon footprints and respect for biodiversity. This trend is driven by a combination of ethical motivations, heightened regulatory scrutiny and innovative marketing via digital platforms. While some consumers focus on organic or biodynamic designations, others are swayed by nuanced claims of naturalness or carbon neutrality. Heterogeneity in attitudes is evident: younger cohorts and those with higher involvement in wine culture are more willing to pay premiums for visible sustainability attributes, whereas traditional purchasers may prioritise familiar sensory profiles. Producers have responded by adopting integrated viticulture practices, developing eco-certification schemes and tailoring communication strategies to diverse market segments. The interplay between consumer perceptions, product labelling and actual environmental performance is central to ongoing research, with implications for policy, branding and the long-term resilience of the global wine sector.
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Sustainable Consumer Preferences in the Wine Industry publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in sustainable consumer preferences in the wine industry across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Natural wine: A wine produced with minimal intervention in the vineyard and cellar, often without added sulphites or commercial yeasts.
Choice experiment: A survey-based method in which respondents make selections among hypothetical product profiles to estimate attribute importance and valuation.
Willingness to pay (WTP): The maximum price a consumer is prepared to pay for a good or service, reflecting perceived utility of specific attributes.
Organic certification: A formal approval indicating that grapes and winemaking adhere to standards prohibiting synthetic pesticides and fertilisers.
Biodynamic viticulture: An ecological farming system that treats the vineyard as a self-sustaining organism, incorporating preparatory composts and lunar planting calendars.
References
- Exploring the effect of naturalness on consumer wine choices: Evidence from a survey in Italy. Food Quality and Preference (2024).
- An Overview on Sustainability in the Wine Production Chain. Beverages (2021).
- Consumers’ Perceptions of Sustainable Wine: An Exploratory Study in France and Italy. Economies (2019).
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