What about the environment? A choice-based conjoint study about wine from fungus-resistant grape varieties

Abstract

Purpose

Fungus-resistant grape varieties (FRGVs) are the key to more environment-friendly wine growing. This paper aims to examine whether German consumers are willing to buy environment-friendly wines. The study focuses on reducing the amount of fungicides applied and the improvement of the carbon footprint, which are both related to the FRGVs . Furthermore, a cluster analysis leads to more insights into the consumer groups that are open to environment-friendly wine.

Design/methodology/approach

A choice experiment was conducted among 1,500 German wine drinkers with the following attributes: “reduction of pesticides”, “reduction of carbon emissions”,“familiarity with the grape variety”,“organic certification”, the slogan “better for the environment” and“price”. The individual-level, part-worth utilities were estimated using the Hierarchical Bayes method. The Ward’s method was used to cluster the individual-level, part-worth utilities. The participants’ wine involvement and environmentalism are used to further analyse the sample.

Findings

The most important attribute is “price”, followed by the “familiarity with the grape variety” and the “reduction of pesticides” and of “carbon emissions”. The least important attribute is “better for the environment”. The cluster analysis results in three clusters: the green-minded, the traditionalists and the price-minded.

Practical implications

The insights about the consumer acceptance of environment-friendly wines can be used to market these wines more effectively to consumers.

Originality/value

This is the first study that combines a choice experiment with attributes that are derived from the benefits of fungus-resistant grape varieties.

Citation

Nesselhauf, L., Fleuchaus, R. and Theuvsen, L. (2020), "What about the environment? A choice-based conjoint study about wine from fungus-resistant grape varieties", International Journal of Wine Business Research, Vol. 32 No. 1, pp. 96-121. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWBR-09-2018-0049