Patrizia Gazzola, Enrica Pavione, Daniele Grechi and Federica Scavarda
Although not yet fully defined, natural wine represents a sector that has gained the widespread attention of final consumers and, therefore, also of the restaurant world, because…
Abstract
Purpose
Although not yet fully defined, natural wine represents a sector that has gained the widespread attention of final consumers and, therefore, also of the restaurant world, because of its promise of sustainability. The objective of this paper is to understand Italian haute cuisine's interest in natural wine, with the aim of analysing what qualifies this product as sustainable.
Design/methodology/approach
After introducing a theoretical framework based on the concept of natural wine, a brief paragraph is dedicated to consumer preferences; subsequently, the analysis focusses on a questionnaire given to restaurateurs to determine the impact that natural wine has had in the Italian context. The results try to identify the importance that restaurateurs give to the characteristics of natural wine and their propensity for using such wine in their own businesses.
Findings
The analysis, conducted on a sample of medium-high range restaurants, highlights their strong interest in natural wine, as a result of the final consumers' attitude towards wine with characteristics attributable to sustainability. The positive perception by restaurateurs is similar across Italy, both geographically and in terms of the size of the restaurant.
Originality/value
The originality of the work is the focus on the world of restaurants. To date, the literature on natural wine remains embryonic and always refers to the final consumer. This research is the first step in a broader study that will involve a greater number of restaurants, extending beyond Italy to all of Europe, with the aim of understanding the real development potential of natural wine.
Details
Keywords
Patrizia Gazzola, Daniele Grechi, Enrica Pavione and Gloria Gilardoni
The role of sustainability is predominant in many aspects of consumer purchasing decisions. Millennials and young people are, in this field, potential players who buy and consume…
Abstract
Purpose
The role of sustainability is predominant in many aspects of consumer purchasing decisions. Millennials and young people are, in this field, potential players who buy and consume wine with ecosustainable decisions but, in the literature, these aspects are analyzed with nonuniform findings. This paper aims to investigate the wine consumption among young people belonging to the millennial generation, Y generation and Z generation considering also the gender.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses a questionnaire with 2000 respondents. The data are analyzed to understand consumption decisions in the wine sector. This information is analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics (hypothesis test and multiple regression).
Findings
The results of the paper show a clear propensity to be sustainable of the young generation compared with the elderly, highlighting the role of Millennials. Moreover, considering gender, there is a greater sustainable wine tendency (considering both the environmental and the economic/decisional component) in female compared with male.
Research limitations/implications
This work reflects the Italian reality of the pre-COVID-19 period. Obviously, the pandemic situation and the geographic scenario analyzed could change the results of a second wave of the survey.
Social implications
This study contributes to improve the knowledge concerning the wine consumption habits of Italian young generations.
Originality/value
The paper manages to underline the different aspects of sustainability in the wine purchasing decisions by young consumers by focusing on the considered generations.