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Consumers find buying wine ‘a stressful experience’

12 October 2023 By James Evison

Wine buyers will spend a third more on impressing guests than just themselves and 23% find purchasing stressful, according to research by UK retailer Lidl.

The study by the supermarket firm of 2,000 drinkers also found the average consumer will spend £9 on a bottle for themselves, but will dig deeper for guests, upping to £12.50 for a pricier bottle.

Interestingly, more than a fifth – 23% – a stressful experience and 51% of those reporting such feelings said there were too many options. Almost half – 46% – don’t know how to identify a good bottle from a bad one and a third are “simply bewildered by wine jargon”.

In addition, 44% will spend more on guests at Christmas, which rises to 56% for when buying a gift for someone. More than a quarter – 27% – also think premium labels are better quality.

Half of drinkers also stick to what they know and choose a bottle based on where it was produced, as well as taking what is on offer. Around a quarter – 23% – have a ‘go-to’ bottle and almost a fifth chose purely on the appeal of the label.

As for why consumers make such decisions, some three-quarters spend more because they want an expensive bottle to celebrate a special occasion, and more than a third – 35% – do so simply to impress guests.

A quarter want to know more about wine and a third said they would experiment more if they had the knowledge.

In terms of trends, 39% said they drink rosé all year round, a similar amount don’t mind if the bottle is corked or screw top and will drink Champagne from any glass, not just a flute. Almost a third chill bottles of red wine or put ice cubes in their drink, and find wine etiquette snobbish.

It comes as Lidl set up its Chateaux Noir events, which aim to ‘democratise’ wine through consumer tastings in total darkness.

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