Wine Press Body

introduction

why this book?

" It needs to be recognised that mainstream consumer attitudes to screw caps have essentially not changed at all. While many parts of the industry have now come to accept the merits of the various tests conducted since the early 1970s, it should not be assumed that this attitude applies collectively across the consumer world. Such an approach misinterprets the dynamics of customer attitudes. The failure of the 1970s was not a result of consumer attitudes, but of a failure to change consumer attitudes; a result of a failed marketing strategy at the time.

"Consumer attitudes are in the process of changing, certainly, but it is the knowledgeable wine consumer who is leading the charge. Many mainstream consumers remain perplexed as to why there are so many screw caps appearing on retail shelves. The benefits are still not widely understood. Many wine retail assistants cannot accurately and succinctly communicate the benefits of the screw cap to inquiring customers.

"If you believe in the screw cap and would like to see it become the seal of quality wines in Australia, do not believe that the battle has been won. The next two years will be critical in shaping the attitude of consumers to the screw cap… We must not underestimate the challenge of changing hundreds of years of history, and the strength of custom and tradition that so strongly controls the buying habits of consumers."

Dr Wayne J. Mortensen, Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Innovation, School of Management,
Faculty of Business and Law, Victoria University of Technology

Less-educated consumers are still showing resistance to screw caps

Australian and New Zealand wineries continue to report that most resistance to screw caps comes from the less-educated wine consumer.

Producers face challenges with the introduction of screw caps on lower-priced labels

While the response to premium wines in screw cap has been strong, the challenge of extending this success into the consumer market segment remains a hurdle for the industry.

Australian survey results highlight the urgent need for consumer education

A 2002 Newspoll survey into consumer attitudes and awareness regarding screw caps among premium wine buyers in Australia revealed that:

Only 22% of premium wine buyers believe that screw caps preserve wine better than cork. 56 percent believe that cork preserves wine better and 22 percent do not know.

46% of consumers associate screw caps with cheap wine.

43% would be happy to take a bottle with a screw cap to a restaurant.

53% would be happy to buy a bottle with a screw cap for home consumption.

When advised that many wine industry experts believe that screw caps are a better closure than cork as they eliminate cork taint and preserve flavour and aroma better:

Those respondents happy to take the wine to a restaurant jumped from 43 percent to 53 percent,

Those happy to drink at home jumped from 53 percent to 64 percent. This suggests that with better awareness of the benefits, acceptance will change rapidly.

It is likely that these results would have reflected a much lower level of acceptance for screw caps if the survey had not been restricted to those who purchase premium wine.

The results indicate that there remains a strong need for the industry to continue to educate the market to change perceptions and to increase the acceptance of the screw cap.

A higher level of acceptance of screw caps in South Australia than in other states demonstrates that with greater awareness attitudes will shift. (South Australian consumers have better exposure to wine industry issues and publicity and drink more riesling than other states.)

UK survey results highlight a lack of understanding of screw caps

A June 2003 survey published in UK consumer magazine Which? revealed the following about UK wine drinkers:

73% of the 1718 respondents had purchased screw-capped wine at some time.

75% of UK consumers feel that wine with a screw cap is not as socially acceptable as wine with a cork.

54% think that wine in a screw-capped bottle is likely to be of lower quality than wine bottled with a cork.

Cork taint is not considered to be a big problem, with less than half of the respondents listing avoidance of cork taint as a reason for purchasing screw-capped wines.
These results highlight the need for consumer education in the UK relating to the benefits of screw caps on bottled wine. The same is true to an even greater extent in other export markets such as the United States.

Ongoing education is required as an urgent priority

Seal of Approval: Why choose screw caps? directly tackles the critical need for consumer education on screw caps by presenting a comprehensive summary of the advantages of the seal. In straightforward language and captivating illustrations, it presents twenty reasons why the screw cap is the closure of choice for the discerning consumer.


introduction why this book? " It needs to be recognised that mainstream consumer attitudes to screw caps have essentially not changed at all. While many parts of the industry have now come to accept the merits of the various tests conducted since the early 1970s, it should not be assumed that this attitude applies collectively across the consumer world. Such an approach misinterprets the dynamics of customer attitudes. The failure of the 1970s was not a result of consumer attitudes, but of a failure to change consumer attitudes; a result of a failed marketing strategy at the time. "Consumer attitudes are in the process of changing, certainly, but it is the knowledgeable wine consumer who is leading the charge. Many mainstream consumers remain perplexed as to why there are so many screw caps appearing on retail shelves. The benefits are still not widely understood. Many wine retail assistants cannot accurately and succinctly communicate the benefits of the screw cap to inquiring customers. "If you believe in the screw cap and would like to see it become the seal of quality wines in Australia, do not believe that the battle has been won. The next two years will be critical in shaping the attitude of consumers to the screw cap… We must not underestimate the challenge of changing hundreds of years of history, and the strength of custom and tradition that so strongly controls the buying habits of consumers." Dr Wayne J. Mortensen, Senior Lecturer in Strategy and Innovation, School of Management, Faculty of Business and Law, Victoria University of Technology Less-educated consumers are still showing resistance to screw caps Australian and New Zealand wineries continue to report that most resistance to screw caps comes from the less-educated wine consumer. Producers face challenges with the introduction of screw caps on lower-priced labels While the response to premium wines in screw cap has been strong, the challenge of extending this success into the consumer market segment remains a hurdle for the industry. Australian survey results highlight the urgent need for consumer education A 2002 Newspoll survey into consumer attitudes and awareness regarding screw caps among premium wine buyers in Australia revealed that: Only 22% of premium wine buyers believe that screw caps preserve wine better than cork. 56 percent believe that cork preserves wine better and 22 percent do not know. 46% of consumers associate screw caps with cheap wine. 43% would be happy to take a bottle with a screw cap to a restaurant. 53% would be happy to buy a bottle with a screw cap for home consumption. When advised that many wine industry experts believe that screw caps are a better closure than cork as they eliminate cork taint and preserve flavour and aroma better: Those respondents happy to take the wine to a restaurant jumped from 43 percent to 53 percent, Those happy to drink at home jumped from 53 percent to 64 percent. This suggests that with better awareness of the benefits, acceptance will change rapidly. It is likely that these results would have reflected a much lower level of acceptance for screw caps if the survey had not been restricted to those who purchase premium wine. The results indicate that there remains a strong need for the industry to continue to educate the market to change perceptions and to increase the acceptance of the screw cap. A higher level of acceptance of screw caps in South Australia than in other states demonstrates that with greater awareness attitudes will shift. (South Australian consumers have better exposure to wine industry issues and publicity and drink more riesling than other states.) UK survey results highlight a lack of understanding of screw caps A June 2003 survey published in UK consumer magazine Which? revealed the following about UK wine drinkers: 73% of the 1718 respondents had purchased screw-capped wine at some time. 75% of UK consumers feel that wine with a screw cap is not as socially acceptable as wine with a cork. 54% think that wine in a screw-capped bottle is likely to be of lower quality than wine bottled with a cork. Cork taint is not considered to be a big problem, with less than half of the respondents listing avoidance of cork taint as a reason for purchasing screw-capped wines. These results highlight the need for consumer education in the UK relating to the benefits of screw caps on bottled wine. The same is true to an even greater extent in other export markets such as the United States. Ongoing education is required as an urgent priority Seal of Approval: Why choose screw caps? directly tackles the critical need for consumer education on screw caps by presenting a comprehensive summary of the advantages of the seal. In straightforward language and captivating illustrations, it presents twenty reasons why the screw cap is the closure of choice for the discerning consumer.

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