The survey on consumption of wine has been conducted in the period between April 20th and July 10th of 2011 on a sample of 200 consumers of Sicily. The recognition by the administration of the product was mainly conducted at some outlets, supermarkets, wine shops and bars, interviewing a sample of consumers directly with the method "face to face." The survey purpose was conducted to understand the needs of wine consumers and the role played by the mark of quality in the choice of purchase, and finally the degree of appreciation and consumption of Sicilian wine

Carlo, Giannetto

Maurizio, Lanfranchi

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5SURVEY ON THE CONSUMPTION OF WINE IN SICILY:SOME RESULTS*Maurizio, Lanfranchi1Carlo, Giannetto2Abstract: The survey on consumption of wine was conducted in the period between April 20th andJuly 10th of 2011 on a sample of 200 consumers of Sicily. The recognition by the administration of theproduct was mainly conducted at some outlets, supermarkets, wine shops and bars, interviewing a sample ofconsumers directly with the "face to face" method. The purpose of the survey was conducted to understandthe needs of wine consumers and the role played by the mark of quality in the choice of purchase, and finallythe degree of appreciation and consumption of Sicilian wine.Key words: wine, consumption trends, SicilyJEL Code: M311. Methodology and research objectivesThe methodology followed to conduct the research project was quantitative andrandom. The random search refers to the identification of the prominent factors from whichsprings the buying behavior of consumers. The preliminary components of the researchteam have defined and developed the research hypotheses, they have identified the surveyquestions and constructed the questionnaire to be administered to the sample ofconsumers.The construction of the questionnaire has led to questions about the definition of theperceived quality, the habitual consumption, the price-quality ratio. The objective of theresearch was to understand the buying habits and preferences of wine consumers, withparticular reference to that produced in Sicily. The research was conducted as amotivational survey through a methodology that refers to the survey by questionnaire.The survey on consumption of wine was conducted in the period between April 20thand July 10th of 2011 on a sample of 200 consumers of Sicily. The recognition by theadministration of the product was mainly conducted at some outlets, supermarkets, wineshops and bars, interviewing a sample of consumers directly with the "face to face" method.The purpose of the survey was conducted to understand the needs of wine consumersand the role played by the mark of quality in the choice of purchase, and finally the degreeof appreciation and consumption of Sicilian wine. The instrument used for data processinghas been the construction of a double entry table and the estimated log-likelihood ratio testwith the relevant p-value.The significance level for the whole statistical analysis was alfa = 0.05. The log-liklihood-ratio test known in the statistical literature as test G was used to evaluate theassociation between two qualitative variables. The questionnaire was structured in threesections, the first tending to acquire information about the socio-demographiccharacteristics of consumers surveyed (age, sex, marital status, education level).The second section identifies the factors and the specific consumption of wine (winetype, frequency of consumption, purchasing places, places to eat).Finally, the third one was to obtain information about the perception of quality, priceand preference for the consumption of Sicilian wine.* The paper is the result of a complete cooperation and it is, therefore, of responsibility of all authors. The materialdrawing up of the paragraphs 1, 3 and 5 are attributable to Maurizio Lanfranchi (mlanfranchi@unime.it); paragraphs 2and 4 are attributable to Carlo Giannetto.1 Prof. PhD. University of Messina, Italy- Faculty of Economics.2 Researcher PhD. University of Messina, Italy- Faculty of Economics.6In order to assess whether the frequency of wine consumption is significantlyinfluenced by age was estimated by ordinal logistic regression model, known in statisticalliterature as a PLUM model. In this context it was made known only a part of the research,we refer to a next publication of the full report.2. Social-economic characteristics of the sample selected for the surveyThe analysis was conducted on a large heterogeneous sample with differentdemographic and socio-economic conditions. 200 respondents were surveyed. The surveywas conducted in Sicily (Italy).Table 1. Summary of socio-economic characteristics of the consumers surveyedIndication characters n° %sex males 102 51females 98 49total 200 100age classes 70 and up 2 150 – 69 21 10,530 – 49 43 21,518 – 29 134 67total 200 100civil status single 151 75,5married 47 23,5divorced 2 1total 200 100studyqualifications degree 30 15diploma 149 75primary-secondary 20 10total 200 100Source: Our calculations based on data collected directlyFigure 1 shows that 51% of respondents are males, the remaining 49%,corresponding to 56 subjects, are females.males51%females49%Figure 1 – Composition of the sample by genderOn the basis of demographic characteristics, the target of the respondents wasdivided into four age groups: members of the class, including the persons aged between718-29 years old, represents 67% of respondents (134 units) ; members of the second agegroup (30-49 years old) are 21.5% of total (43 units); respondents included in the third agegroup (50-69 years old) represented 10.5% of the sample; Finally, only 1% of respondentsolder than 70 years old.Figure 2 – Composition of the sample by ageWith reference to the qualifications, it is possible to note that the majority ofrespondents, 75% (149 units), graduated, only 15% have a college degree, while theremaining 10% (20 units), have graduated middle or elementary school.Figure 3 – Composition of the sample under studyAnother variable considered in the sample for the survey is conducted on maritalstatus. 75.5% (151 units) of the respondents are single (unmarried), 23.5% (47 units) aremarried and only one person reported being divorced.3. Analysis and interpretation of data collectedRespondents were administered a questionnaire consisting of ten questions aimed toassess, in particular, the wine consumption and buying habits, the characteristics which aquality wine must have, and the reasons to choose from a wide range of wines. The firstquestion asked the respondents to mention the wine consumption frequency. From thereplies it can be seen that there are two opposing groups fed, on the one hand those who8consume wine from time to time, not more than once per month (19.5%), on the otherhand, those who consume it regularly, in fact, 34.5 % say they consume it at least 2 to 3times a week.Figure 4 – What is your wine consumption?In particular, as shown in Graph no. 4, 17% of regular consumers prefer to taste thewine every day. Regarding the place of consumption, the majority of respondents prefer athome or the restaurant (74%).4%74%22%Bar-Restaurant At home everywhereFigure 5 – Where do you prefer to consume wine mainly?Only a small proportion of respondents, about 4% prefers to consume wine at thebar. Maybe this place can be a pleasant meeting point but not the ideal place to savor orenjoy a glass of quality wine.With regard to the propensity of expenditure and to the habits of wine consumption,two questions have been formulated; the first related to the maximum expenditure for thepurchase of a single bottle, the second refers to the rough budget for the purchase of winein one year.Regarding the first question, 42.5% of respondents said they were willing to spend anamount not exceeding 10 for a single bottle of wine, only 26% of consumers would bewilling to buy a bottle at a price above the 10 .9Figure 6 – How much would you be willing to spend on a bottle of wine?When asked which would be the average annual expenditure for the purchase ofwine, most of the answers were between 10 and 100 euros (35.5%), significant,approximately 27% is the percentage of those who are positioned on a top-end buying, onaverage, between 101 and 250 euros.Figure 7 – How supposedly do you spend in a year for the purchase of wine?Only 6% of respondents are willing to spend an amount in excess of 500 euros todeal with such consumption.To know the consumption habits, they were also asked about the place where theyfor buy wine. The majority of respondents (37%) replied from the manufacturer. Thisshows that the average consumer is still looking for a genuine product, and that the sellerprefers to meet the person, the raw materials and techniques used. This finding is importantbecause it reflects the consumer’s preference towards a short chain, which allows us tocontain the costs of intermediation.10Figure 8 – What is your usual place of purchase?29% of respondents prefer to buy that product in supermarkets and hypermarkets.Only 10% discount on wine purchases, a sign that they tend to buy more qualitywine.Subsequently, the respondent is asked which are the factors that determine thequality of the wine. For this application, s/he had the opportunity to provide a multiplechoice.The extrapolated data is interesting, in fact, about 60% of respondents matched thequality of the wine according to the origin area (30%) or more specifically the designationof origin (29%). This shows that the average consumer feels protected only if there is anofficial recognition that guarantees the quality of the product.Figure 9 – What are the factors that determine the quality of wine?Only 10% of consumers said that the factor that determines the quality of wine isorganically certified, meaning that even today this kind of recognition is not entered in the“culture” of the average consumer. Through the investigation, among other things, anattempt was made to understand the reasons which push the consumer to purchase aproduct over another. This question was an answer for question No. 711Figure 10 – Which factors are the most important choice for the purchase of wine?For 24.4% of respondents, the decisive factor in the choice of purchasing wine is thetaste, 15% of theose who believe that the parameter of choice is paramount pairing withfood. This data, however, shows us that the “quality” factor is not paramount in purchasingdecisions (15.1%). The answer can be justified by the fact that generally the ‘quality’wines had a higher price, and as evinced by the previous answers, the consumer is notwilling to spend an exorbitant sum for the purchase of a single bottle.17.1% of respondents said that one of the main factors that determine their choice inwine is the color. Some 35.5% of the sample of respondents said they preferred the colorred.Figure 11 – What color is your favorite wine?25% of consumers have shown a preference for white wine, while for 18% the colorof wine does not matter. Concerning the consumption habits, the interviewees were askedif they change in general the type of wine and how long they prefer the same type of wine.The answers show that an average consumer normally changes the type ofwine. More specifically, 31% of respondents say they would change the type of wineconsumed occasionally.12Figure 12 – How often do you change the type of wine?Instead, 24.5% say they frequently prefer to change the type of wine, only 14% ofrespondents do not like to change the wine, but prefer to consume the same type.The investigation extended to the territory of Messina, as we have said, the goal ofinterpreting the buying habits of consumers relative to the market of Sicilian wines. Forthis reason the following question has been given: Do you drink Sicilian wine?Figure 13 – Do you drink Sicilian wine?The most frequent response was two to three times per month (26%). This finding isconsistent with that provided by the respondents to the first question (how many times doyou consume wine).In fact, even then most consumers gave the same response. 12.5% of respondentssaid they consumed Sicilian wine each day. Finally we asked respondents if they know thebeneficial effects of wine consumption.13Figure 14 – Do you know the beneficial effects of wine consumption?Almost all respondents (74%) say they know the benefits of wine, most of thembeing concerned with the health aspects associated with the consumption of wine,particularly the presence of polyphenols can reduce the negative effects associated with thedigestion of certain fats of animal origin present in red meat.4. Identikit of the wine consumer in SicilyThe study conducted on the reference sample has been able to trace the profile-typeon the consumer of wine in Sicily. Man, bachelor or graduate degree, over the age of fiftyand among those belonging to the younger age group between 22 and 25 prefers red wineon a budget with which to purchase the bottle of quality wine even more than 10 euros ifbought at Enoteca, less than 5 euros when purchased at a discount store.The annual expenditure for the purchase of wine does not exceed 100 euros. This isthe identikit of the wine consumer in Sicily. The research showed, among other things, thatthe consumer prefers the type of wine consumed at home or in a restaurant. With regard tothe distribution channels, the consumer-type prefers to buy the bottle from themanufacturer, preferring the short chain, and researching the quality of the product, even ifthere is a high proportion of subjects that buy at the supermarket.Among the factors that determine the process of consumption choice, the marketsurvey showed that the area of origin for the majority is synonymous with quality. This isan aspect of particular importance that reinforces even more the need to link the image ofthe area to the product. The consumer research was thus realized through the officialrecognition of a quality wine brand.5. ConclusionsOver the years the business strategies of the wine sector have focused mainly onimproving the quality demonstrated by the recognition of a mark of national or Communityorigin. It is in the viticulture that we can reconstruct the quality as one of the mostimportant models of multifunctionality of agriculture, not as only achieved by the primaryfunction of producing food, but also other equally important functions, eg: environmentalprotection, landscape and environmental services, enhancing the attraction of tourism andthe positive impact on the social territory.All these phenomena may be partial to be easier and successful, if we develop thewill to cooperate among the various manufacturers. The future of Italian viticulture will beclosely linked to the activation or not of a collaborative process that encourages forms ofintegration not only horizontally but also vertically.14Bibliography1. A.A. V.V. ( 2004), Wine, food and tourism marketing, Haworth Press Inc.2. Bernetti, I., Casini, L., Marinelli, N. (2006), Wine and globalization: changes în theinternational market structure and the position of Italy, British Food Journal, vol. 108, n. 4, pp.306-3153. Cinelli Colombini D. (2004), Manuale del turismo del vino, Franco Angeli4. Conforti, P., Pierani, P., Rizzi, P. L. (2000), Food and Nutrient Demands în Italy. ActualBehaviour and Forecast Through a Multistage Quadratic System with Heterogeneous Preferences,Quaderno n. 303, Dipartimento di Economia Politica, Università di Siena5. Marija J. Noru is (2009), PASW Statistic 18. Statistical Procedures Companion. PaersonEducation6. Soliani L. (2004), Manuale di statistica per la ricerca e la professione, Uninova, Parma7. Lanfranchi M. (a cura di), Analisi sul comportamento del consumatore di prodotti tipicisiciliani nella città di Messina, Edas 2011, Messina8. Pastore R.. (2006), Il marketing del vino e del territorio: istruzioni per l’uso, Franco Angeli

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