Peculiarities of Polish Wine Consumers: Implications for Wine Business Management

The wine market is very competitive. It is relatively easy for new competitors to enter and there is increasing competition from spirits and beer producers. In addition, wine has begun to be produced in countries with no tradition of wine production, such as Sweden, Norway, Slovakia, and Poland. On such markets, consumers tend to have little experience and knowledge of wine. The aim of this publication is to identify the preferences of wine consumers in Poland and their significance for the management of wine businesses. The research method used was an indirect survey. An online survey was used as the research tool. The survey was carried out between June 2020 and March 2021. The questionnaire was completed by a total of 723 adults. The most popular places to buy wine were discount stores and supermarkets. More than 50% of respondents paid up to PLN 35 (EUR 8) for a bottle of wine. They also prefer quality wines. However, one in four consumers cannot tell the difference between regional, table, and quality wines. Among the various attributes of wine, the most important for consumers were the design of the label, the way the bottle was sealed, and the country of origin. The most important factors when buying wine were the type of wine (dry, semi-dry, semi-sweet, or sweet), value for money, and previous experience with wine. Wines from the countries with the largest wine production were preferred: Italy, Spain, and France. According to the study, consumers showed little interest in various wine novelties.