#screwtops

INTRODUCTION

I have been covering a study issued by Mintel, a market research firm, entitled Wine - US - October 2012.

So far, I have reported on two segments of this report. One looked at “Perception of Wine by Region” and another the “Important Attributes when Buying Wine.”

This time, I am going to examine "Wine Packaging Types Bought," which considers attitudes towards things like regular bottles versus screw-top bottles as well as other factors. Like the "Important Attributes" post, this will also look at the response by gender and age, using the same age categories. This segment also considers household income.

Last time I cleared the air on who this survey covered. We know it was based on 1,239 internet users aged 21+ who drink red, white, or rosé wine and live in the United States. Of those responders, 605 are male and 634 are female. To see which age group those numbers fall in, please see the conclusion on my Mintel survey post, "Important Attributes." At the end of this post, I will recap how those numbers divide into household income, so you can get to know the survey group a little better. I will also draw some other conclusions about the segment.

At the end of all segments, I am going to summarize the results of wine attitudes based on a types of people in a way that will paint a picture of different types of wine drinkers in the United States, based on these statistical facts, and see if the different stereotypes hold true.

Because this segment is so straightforward, I am going to list for you the different types of packaging that responders considered in their responses. Then for each group, (men, 21-24 year olds, etc.) I will simply list the top four responses with the percent who said so. I'll still include what Mintel says it means so you can make sense of it all.

The types of packaging provided are: Regular bottle, Screw-top bottles, Oversized bottles, Box wine, By the case, Plastic bottles, Tetra pack, Wine in a can, Other and None of the above.

STUDY

Wine Packaging Types Bought, by gender, June 2012

Men said… Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (79 percent)

Screw-top bottle (31 percent)

Oversized bottle (24 percent)

By the case (19 percent) - See women.

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Other (1 percent)

None of the above and Tetra (2 percent)

Wine in a can and Plastic bottles (3 percent)

Singles-serve bottles (16 percent) - See women.

Women said… Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (84 percent)

Screw-top bottle (41 percent) - 10 percent increase from men.

Oversized bottle (23 percent)

Single-serve bottles (20 percent) - Men said wine by the case for this. Definitely would have been a better choice in my opinion. Though I will say I tried one recently and it wasn't bad.

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Wine in a can and Other (1 percent)

Plastic bottles and Tetra pack (2 percent)

None of the above (3 percent)

By the case (12 percent) - Our last choice. 9 percent spread. And funny enough, single-serve bottles and by the case switches spots in the opposite yet exact same way as by the case and single-serve bottles for men.

What Mintel says it means…

"While 82% of consumers buy regular cork-top bottles of wine, more than one third of survey respondents purchase screw-top options and 18% purchase boxed wine.

Size matters to wine drinkers in different ways. Men are more likely than women to purchase oversized bottles as well as wine by the case. In contrast, women are more likely than men to purchase single-serve bottles."

Wine Packaging Types Bought, by age, June 2012

21-24 Year Olds said… Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (69 percent)

Screw-top bottle (40 percent)

Oversized bottle (36 percent)

Box wine (26 Percent) - highest percent to say box wine, perhaps it is suggestive of a small disposable income or partying habits, or a little of both?

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Other ( - percent)

None of the above (4 percent)

Wine in a can, Tetra pack, Plastic bottle (5 percent)

By the case (19 percent)

25-34 Year Olds said… Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (76 percent)

Screw-top bottle (38 percent) -

Oversized bottle (27 percent)

Single-serve bottle (22 percent)

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Other ( - percent)

None of the above (3 percent)

Tetra pack (4 percent)

Plastic bottle (5 percent)

35-44 Year Olds said… Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (80 percent)

Screw-top bottle (33 percent) -

Oversized bottle (22 percent)

Box wine (19 percent)

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Other (1 percent)

None of the above and Wine in a can (2 percent)

Tetra pack and Plastic bottles (3 percent)

By the case (14 percent)

45-54 Year Olds said… Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (87 percent)

Screw-top bottle (34 percent) + (only 1 percent difference)

Oversized bottle (21 percent)

Single-serve bottle and Box wine (15 percent)

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Tetra pack and Wine in a can ( - percent)

Plastic bottle and Other (1 percent)

None of the above (3 percent)

By the case (13 percent)

55-64 Year Olds said… Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (84 percent)

Screw-top bottle (30 percent) -

Box wine (22 percent)

Oversized bottle (21 percent)

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Wine in a can and Other (1 percent)

Plastic bottle and Tetra pack (2 percent)

None of the above (3 percent)

By the case (14 percent)

65+ Year Olds said… Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (86 percent)

Screw-top bottle (44 percent) +

Oversized bottle (23 percent)

By the case (21 percent) - only ones may I point out, keeping it classy as they ride out the golden years!

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Tetra pack and Wine in a can ( - percent)

Plastic bottle (1 percent)

Other (2 percent)

None of the above (3 percent)

What Mintel says it means… "The youngest consumers measured here are the least likely to purchase regular bottles of wine. However, a look at the attitudes toward wine packaging measured below suggests that such behavior may be related more to necessity than preference. While these consumers are drawn to the sophistication of regular bottles, the price savings to be found in oversized and single-serve bottles as well as wine boxes may drive purchase behavior.

Consumers aged 65+ are more likely than any other age group measured here to purchase screw-top bottles. This could be due to the ease of opening of these bottles.

At present, the oldest consumers are also the most likely to purchase wine by the case. This is likely due to the higher levels of disposable income among this group. While younger respondents are more prolific drinkers, purchasing wine by the case may not appear as an affordable option among these users."

Wine packaging types bought, by household income, June 2012

<$25K... Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (72 percent)

Screw-top bottle (30 percent)

Oversized bottle (23 percent)

Single-serve bottle (19 Percent)

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Other ( - percent)

Tetra pack (1 percent)

Wine in a can and Plastic bottle (2 percent)

By the case (7 percent)

$25K-$49.9K... Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (80 percent) +

Screw-top bottle (33 percent) +

Single-serve bottle (20 percent) +

Oversized bottle (18 percent) -

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Tetra pack and Other (1 percent)

Wine in a can (2 percent)

Plastic bottle and None of the above (4 percent)

By the case (9 percent)

$50K-$74.9K... Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (83 percent) +

Screw-top bottle (35 percent) +

Oversized bottle and Box wine (21 percent) + and new

Single-serve bottle (16 Percent) -

Lowest percentage of responders: 

Other ( - percent)

Plastic bottle and None of the above (1 percent)

Wine in a can and Tetra pack (2 percent)

By the case (11 percent)

$75K-$99.9... Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (84 percent) +

Screw-top bottle (41 percent) +

Oversized bottle (26 percent) +

Box wine (22 percent) +

Lowest percentage of responders:

None of the above (1 percent)

Wine in a can and Other (3 percent)

Plastic bottle and Tetra pack (5 percent)

Single-serve bottle (18 percent)

$100K-$149.9K...  Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (85 percent) + 

Screw-top bottles (41 percent) no change

Oversized bottle (29 percent) +

Single-serve bottle (19 percent) + (from $50-$74.9)

Lowest percentage of responders:

Other ( - percent)

Wine in a can (1 percent)

Plastic bottle, Plastic bottle and None of the above (2 percent)

Box wine (15 percent)

$150K...  Highest percentage of responders:

Regular bottle (84 percent) - (probably means little, same as $75K...)

Screw-top bottle (39 percent) - (first time this has happened, perhaps has to do with attitudes or other buying habits?)

By the case (37 percent) - Speaks to the income level. no change.

Oversized bottle (29 percent) no change.

Lowest percentage of responders:

Other (1 percent)

Plastic bottles, Tetra pack and None of the above (3 percent)

Wine in a can (4 percent)

Single-serve bottle and Box wine (19 percent)

What Mintel says it means... "Respondents from higher-income-earning households are more likely than average to have purchased a variety of wine-packaging styles. This is most likely due to the fact that higher levels of disposable income allow for a greater degree of product."

CONCLUSION

The largest grouped polled were households earning between $25K-$49.9K, with 265 responders. Following that group was households in the $50K-$74.9K range with 243 responders. 200 responders were in households earning $75K-$99.9K. 166 responders were in households earning <$25K and 119 responders were in households earning $150K+.

The top three ranges of this are between $25K-$99K. This points to most middle classes. Though the age took a leap with 35-54 year olds framing one group, and the next highest group being 65+ followed closely by 24-34 year olds. Somewhat representative, pretty vanilla. Let's move on.

Everybody said regular bottles were better. There is warmer reception to screw tops with young people and those in the 65+ and households earning $75K-$149.9K, perhaps there were a lot of wealthy 65+ wine drinkers polled.