The influence of perceived healthiness on wine consumption patterns

Consumers are increasingly sensitive to the health qualities of foods and beverages they consume. Evidence remains equivocal about wine's health affordance, but the media often present it as fact. It is difficult to predict how many consumers believe wine is healthy and the relationship between that belief and consumption. In the present study 1050 adult wine consumers were interviewed about their perception that wine is healthy, their demographic characteristics, and consumption patterns. Results indicated those most likely to perceive wine as healthy were older males with a higher income, but the strength of association was weak. Those perceiving wine as healthy had a higher frequency but not volume of consumption. CAGE (potential alcoholism) scores were independent of the perception that wine is healthy. Based on these results, there is no reason to suppose consumers' wellbeing will be threatened by their behavioural response to positive information on health benefits of wine. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.