Most broadsheets plugged their favourite Rieslings

Low interest on the high street

TWO LONG-RUNNING, and related, themes in the press continued in April: the further decline in Oddbins’ share of wine writers’ columns, and a decline in the number of press mentions of high street multiple off-licences (aka "specialists").

This month’s chart shows how this group, which includes Oddbins, Majestic, the Thresher Group and Unwins, has been losing the interest of wine writers for over a year now. The most telling statistic, however, is the year-on-year numbers, which show that in April 2002 this group was getting 32% of coverage, while a year later this had fallen to just 13.3%.

What lies behind this decline is a matter for some speculation among those who believe that wine writers still represent an important channel of communication with consumers.

Oddbins’ recent range reductions and price increases are high on the list of possible causes; so is Thresher Group’s increased focus on its Origins range, a high profile group of own-label wines which doesn’t conform to the country/region/varietal/terroir combination favoured by the critics.

There is also the increasing professionalism among supermarkets in targeting the discerning (and high value) consumers who reach for the wine columns before engaging with the weekly shop; and the desire – often overtly stated – by some wine critics to support the independent wine shop sector.