Wine packaging. The influence on the consumer’s perception of quality

Table of Contents

1 Introduction and project overview

1.1 Outline of the dissertation

1.2 Historical evolution of wine packaging

1.3 Overview of the Swiss wine market and its consumers

1.4 Research objectives

1.5 Research purpose and questions

2 Review of literature

2.1 Introduction

2.2 What factors influence the consumer’s perception of quality?

2.2.1 Perception of quality of wine by the consumer

2.2.2 The Influence of extrinsic and intrinsic packaging attributes

2.2.3 The influence of quality schemes in Europe

2.2.4 The influence of shelf life factors on quality

2.2.5 Price and the cost driving factors

2.3 How does the consumer’s perception of quality effect the retailer?

2.3.1 Wine and lifestyle factors

2.3.2 Consumption: Ego driven

2.3.3 Consumption: Wine with food

2.3.4 Consumption: Casual drinking

2.3.5 Consumption: Social and emotional reasoning

2.4 Where do the interests of consumers and retailers align or differ?

2.4.1 Perception and price

2.4.2 Consumer segmentation

2.4.3 Consumer targeting

2.5 Findings

2.6 Discussion

2.7 Limitation

3 Method

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Design elements

3.3 Blind tasting

3.3.1 Introduction & stimuli

3.3.2 Participants blind tasting

3.3.3 Experimental procedure blind tasting

3.3.4 Data analysis of blind tasting

3.3.5 Results of the blind tasting

3.4 Concluding thoughts

3.5 Semi structured interviews

3.5.1 Introduction & stimuli

3.5.2 Participants interviews

3.5.3 Experimental procedure of interviews

3.5.4 Data analysis interviews

3.5.5 Results of the interviews

3.6 Concluding thoughts

4 Overall Conclusion

4.1 Core results

4.2 Implications

4.3 Limitations

4.4 Recommendations

5 References

6 Appendix 2: Research participant consent form & wine tasting / questionnaire

7 Appendix 3: Participant information sheet (tasting)

8 Appendix 4: Participant information sheet (interview)

9 Appendix 5: Brunner & Siegrist “wine-related lifestyles segmentation”

10 Appendix 6: Introduction of 5 respondents

Objectives and Research Focus

This dissertation investigates how different wine packaging forms, specifically comparing traditional glass bottles with Bag-in-Box (BiB) containers, influence the quality perception of consumers in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. The study aims to fill the existing research gap regarding the slow market penetration of BiB wine in Switzerland by analyzing the interplay between consumer expectations, retail strategies, and extrinsic packaging attributes.

• Influence of extrinsic and intrinsic packaging attributes on consumer quality perception.
• Role of lifestyle factors in wine consumption and purchasing decisions.
• Challenges and opportunities for retailers in marketing BiB wines to Swiss consumers.
• Supply chain implications and sustainability considerations of various wine packaging.
• Correlation between consumer perceptions and retail product selection.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 Introduction and project overview: This chapter introduces the dissertation's scope, provides a historical overview of wine packaging, and defines the research objectives and questions focusing on the Swiss market.

2 Review of literature: This section provides a thorough analysis of existing studies on factors influencing consumer perception of quality, the influence of packaging attributes, shelf life, and market segmentation.

3 Method: This chapter outlines the multi-method research approach, consisting of a quantitative blind tasting and qualitative semi-structured interviews with industry professionals.

4 Overall Conclusion: The concluding chapter summarizes the core results, discusses the implications for the industry, notes study limitations, and provides strategic recommendations for future wine packaging marketing.

Keywords

Wine Quality Perception, Bag in Box, Sensoric Analysis, Shelf Life, Lifestyle, Sustainability, Marketing, Swiss Wine Market, Packaging Attributes, Consumer Segmentation, Retail Strategy, Blind Tasting, Grounded Theory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the fundamental objective of this dissertation?

The main objective is to evaluate how wine packaging influences a consumer's perception of quality by comparing Bag-in-Box packaging with traditional glass bottles within the Swiss market context.

What are the central thematic areas covered in this research?

The research explores extrinsic packaging attributes, the impact of shelf life, consumer lifestyle segmentation, retail supply chain dynamics, and the role of European quality schemes.

What is the primary research question?

The research is guided by four questions, the first being: What factors influence the consumer's perception of quality?

Which scientific methodologies are employed?

A multi-method approach is utilized, incorporating a quantitative blind tasting experiment with ten participants and semi-structured interviews with five wine industry professionals analyzed via grounded theory.

What topics are addressed in the main body of the work?

The main body examines the historical evolution of packaging, the Swiss wine market demographics, detailed shelf-life analysis, and the potential for aligning consumer and retailer interests through targeted marketing.

Which keywords characterize this work?

The core topics are best represented by keywords such as Wine Quality Perception, Bag in Box, Sensoric Analysis, Lifestyle, and Consumer Segmentation.

Why has the Bag-in-Box format struggled to establish itself in Switzerland?

The research suggests that consumers perceive BiB wine as low quality, and restrictive laws preventing the printing of quality labels (like DOC or DOCG) on BiB packaging further hinder its acceptance as a high-quality product.

How do retailers perceive the influence of packaging on their sales?

Retailers are divided; some believe the packaging is a critical barrier that necessitates "hiding" the BiB container, while others suggest that better communication and in-store blind tastings could effectively change consumer perceptions.