Innovation in Wine Packaging

Published Date: 23 Mar 2015 Last Modified: 09 Jan 2018

Introduction

With the different readings made, the researcher will intend to list or summarise a working bibliography.

‘The process of reviewing a literature involves making judgement about what to include and exclude from your literature review and then reading what other researchers have written about your subject and writing about it in a way that demonstrate you understanding.'

Writing the literature review for the dissertation will convey the researcher's knowledge and ideas that have been established on the topic, and will be discussed.

The literature review will be an essential tool, as this will indicate that the researcher has understandings of a field of study and their relevance for their inclusion. It connects the work to a greater field of knowledge and, in more immediate terms, it demonstrates the awareness bringing the work in a wider context.

The researcher will also find an added benefit since some information about the subject will be found before starting the research work. This will bring the reader up to date with current literature on the topic, and framing the future research.

The literature review will also influence the work as a foundation of research, identifying relevant and appropriate material. It should also inform and underpin the research, identifying the ‘gap' that the researcher is attempting to address.

The literature review will also help to position the work in the context of previous research and creating a ‘research space' for this piece of work. (Hart:1998:14)

The Theoretical Framework

In competitive markets, companies must always seek to gain market share. The standardisation of brands and products often leads to higher productivity and lower production costs, and communication. With identical packages available on the shelves, the consumers can easily identify visual codes of brands, thus strengthening their identity and reputation worldwide.  Moreover, standardisation of lifestyles, driven by consumer mobility and the development of information technologies and communication, encourages the internationalisation and standardisation of products.

Faced with globalisation and the saturation of some markets, the wineries are induced to expand internationally.

However, managing brands internationally, and more specifically internationalisation of the packaging is far from being easy.

Due to the saturated wine industry, it is more and more important to focus the wine industry on marketing strategy efforts toward the product and the consumer to maintain market share and sustain the wine customer attention.

The Packaging

This is a very important marketing promotion tool to attract customer, and is now regarded as an essential ‘P' of the marketing mix. According to Hall and Mitchell (2007), the wine marketing mix decisions consist of the four P's with an additional quartet of Packaging, People, Planning, and Positioning.

Some studies have taken different approaches to the packaging as a marketing tool. Paine, Frank Albert has developed a definition of the packaging as:

‘The art, science and technology of preparing goods for market and sale'(1992:34)

To add, further in his book, the author defines another kind of definition as:

‘Packaging is a means of ensuring safe delivery of a product to the ultimate user, in sound condition, at minimum overall cost'(1992:52)

Packaging is well-known to be as a key element of the branding process as it communicates the brand equity of the company. According to Kotler (1999 : 28):

‘The package is the buyer first encounter with the product and is capable of turning the buyer on and off'

It can make the perceptions of qualities, reliabilities, and value in a product, as well as loyalty, confidence, and self-expression to the consumer (Aaker, 1996).

We can make our conclusion about the packaging as a commercial activity. This is a crucial factor for companies in order to ensure the promotion of their product. The packaging will aim this communication of information. Through the brand, the packaging has become way of communicate messages to the consumers.

‘Packaging has actually gained in importance in the marketing mix as consumers closely scrutinize more products on the retail shelf before purchasing.'

(Brand Channel: 2009: August)

‘Packaging is taking on increasing significance and extending beyond the obvious necessity of providing for protection, transportation and storage.'

(Giles: 1994: 73)

Trends And Future Of Wine Packaging

It is interesting to note that the packaging of a product is the most ephemeral in the product life. Indeed, some companies must constantly adapt to trends and market developments.

A company will prefer a change in the packaging rather than the product on its own, and this change will allow sales to grow in profitability. Therefore, we say that the packaging is a way to change media.

Wineries are seeking to find a new way of attracting consumers, develop new relationships with the consumers and establish and sustain a strong brand equity that will stimulate the buying process.

With the ‘general decline in consumption and a change in drinking habits; […] from daily wine consumption towards more occasional drinking of higher-quality wine underpinned value growth' (Datamonitor 2008:October:18), it is hardly surprising that the relationship between wine and packaging has attracted considerable attention in recent years.

The packaging is particularly relevant in the decision-making process. In the field of the wine packaging, the shape of the packaging, the design, drawing and colour on the label is meant to attract the attention of the potential purchaser, differentiating the product from other competitors.

It influences the majority of purchases made in large and medium-sized store, with consumers increasingly fickle and demanding.

The International Journal of Wine Marketing's article refers to the importance of the packaging in the wine industry suggesting that:

‘It reaches out beyond the point of purchase to make statements about its purchaser'.

(The International Journal of Wine Marketing: Thomas: 2000:12)

Researchers Wine Intelligence's latest quarterly Consumer Intelligence report confirms evidence that the wine is not important ‘choosing cues'.

The results of this survey indicates that proportions of consumers who consider the aspects of a wine as ‘top of mind' cues when choosing which bottle of wine to buy would be the Grape variety (74%), Promotional offer (66%), Country of origin(63%), Glass colour (10%) and the bottle weight (7%).

When consumers are willing to purchase wine, the decision making will involve asking themselves several questions including what type of wine it is, how much the wine is, and if the brand is known.

These sources of information are important for consumers. The packaging is the media that the buyer will evaluate before purchasing the wine.

Companies tend to simplify the decision making process, removing the grapes varieties and the vintage, and positioning the product within the reach of most mainstream consumer.

Developing innovative wine packaging will be an investment making the brand distinctive, standing out on the shelves and simply trying to compete against existing products on the market.

Therefore a focus of the packaging elements is the new strategy for these wineries, in terms of marketing efforts. The packaging is one of the tools in marketing for wineries to get the right picture about the business, and help the perception and positioning in the market place.

A Bet On Innovation For Wine Industry

The strategies of the company are not only to look to volume, but acting for the long term.

Innovation has become essential for wineries wishing to take their brands to above preserve their margins and differentiate from competitors.

A third of sales of consumer products are achieved with products that did not exist three years before. (J.J. Urvoy et S. Sanchez:2007: 135)

The consumer demands are increasingly strong and we can notice the need for companies to generate new needs incentives to innovate through packaging.

The wine packaging is facing a new trend of packaging, based on innovations becoming increasingly complex.

Packaging innovation can drive wineries to access the premium product category.

Packaging innovation can move your business from a commodity driven product into a premium product category.

(JoAnn Hines: Australian institute of packaging)

‘Innovative packaginggas been a key feature of premium brands in the last decade'

(Datamonitor :2009)

The convenient, practical, easy use and inexpensive packaging is obviously the most important factor with consumers when they purchase, however in the wine industry offer few possibilities. Therefore, even if innovation in packaging is one of the most important tasks in marketing, it is nevertheless one of the most difficult. Few innovations survive if they do meet a real consumer need.

Thus, the packaging does have a role to play in innovation. A packaging, suitable for the use of the consumer and its expectations in term of packaging, will probably become the best retention tool. 

Adapting The New Way Of Consuming:

In order to be differentiated, wines seek to appeal and attract consumers.

The key success to this packaging design revolution is to meet the consumer's needs looking for trend.

This is the case of the Maleta winery who decided to centre their marketing efforts on their packaging design. The winery has developed unique type of packaging for each wine, which aims to spoke directly to the target consumer according to a price range.

‘After auditing their winery, existing brand, competitors, and global beverage packaging design trends we decided on a strategy that would brand the wine, not the winery.'

(Jump Branding & Design Inc:work:packaging:maletawinery)

This is very important in the wine industry, as consumers identify the wine brand's personality and create association with the wine quality.

The popular and premium wine company Almaden's brand manager said:

‘The brand personality of Almaden is at once fresh, contemporary, innovative and experienced [...] We wanted our packaging to reflect these brand characteristics, while conveying Constellation Wines' universal appeal as an everyday entertaining wine.'

(Business Wire:2003: May)

Almaden Vineyards Innovates With New Bottle Packaging; Contemporary Look Maintains Brand's Tradition Of Quality.

Dealing with products that answer more and more to the consumers' demand, the marketers are seeking sensory experiences. The act of buying now claims emotional, and beyond basic qualities of the product, the sight or grip of its packaging may influence the purchase decision. The packaging strategy will be to solicit the consumer's five senses to awaken their interest and ensure their loyalty. The packaging actually will then stimulate more touch: Paper grain, gummed, plastic.

Winemakers are now targeting to the new generation of consumer. Wine brings a new trend on socialisation. Young people are used to product innovation, it is the best target for the packaging innovation as they start to consider wine, yet the packaging was never fully orientated towards youth until recently. The new packaging is adding value to the wine, becoming a part of entertaining experience, bringing some new concepts to the everyday life. Many new offers start to appear, appealing new young consumer.

‘Wine is gaining greater acceptance across more segments of the drinking population, particularly amongst younger generation consumers just beginning to formulate their alcoholic drinks preferences.'

(Datamonitor 2008:October:19),

Some examples can illustrate the wine industry needs to meet the consumers through innovative wine packaging. The market is then driven by the growing consumer's demand for innovation. Now sober and minimalist packaging can be simple with a strong visual quality that invites the consumer to try.

The shape, type, and drawing of the packaging attract the potential consumer's attention, who will be distinguishing a specific wine bottle from competitors. In the other hand, consumer are expecting from the packaging a communication about:

‘The relevant and appropriate information about the quality of the wine, in some way replacing the salespersons action'

(International Journal Of Wine Marketing, 2005,Vol 18, 33-44)

A survey made in 2008 reveals that for example in the UK, 39% of consumers feel that the design in packaging had a significant level of influence over their choice of purchases.(Datamonitor:2009: 12)

Customers rely heavily on the design and labelling information such as region of origin, grape variety, and awards received. At the most general level, wine label designs tend to be described as either “traditional” or “modern/contemporary”

(International Journal of Wine Business Research: 2007: vol 19: 170).

For that reason, Wine producers and designers wineries innovate in term of packaging, in the view of satisfying the consumers' wants and desires.

The practical is one of the prime factors of choice in some markets as such, the household products.  The developments of ‘nomadism' caused an increase in meals outside the home, standing and watching television. The breakdown of food and the search for gain time encourage consumers to buy packaging adapted to these new consumption habits.

In a general overview, the time spent in food cooking is evaluating towards fresh produce and packaged ready to eat. The consumption pattern was individualised and therefore increase the snacking habits. All these changes have led to a proliferation of "ready to eat," "individual" and "transportable". The new lifestyles have involved a real change in the design of products.

Therefore this has an impact on the image of packaging in general, since it multiplies the number of packages and thus increases the volume of waste.

Some new wine packaging is more convenience in term of space. These new type of packaging can be more convenient to transport and non breakable. In that case the portability developed a new market of single serve package products, targeting a new ‘modern and fashion and socialization' appeal that consumer are keen on. This new ‘single serve' approach takes the wine consumption in a new way of dining or serving, keeping the wine industry with the luxury experience as looking for being chic, appropriate, convenient, accessible. (International Journal of Wine Marketing, 2005, Vol 18, 33-44).

These innovations in smaller packaging ‘single-serve' wine sizes permit to associate the wine consumption with new occasions.

‘The package on store shelf and in the consumer's kitchen is a form of advertising which is attracting increasing design attention.'

(Giles: 1994:138)

Many products are not hesitant about the misuse of codes reserved normally to other universes of products. Forms and graphics are involved in this transgression. This innovation is playing on the originality and fun to entertain, to differentiate and maintain market share.

To illustrate this shift codes, winemakers like the Gallo Family Vineyards hasn't hesitate to bet on the uniqueness, that consumer is looking for. This is the case of their handbag style wine box for their White Grenache variety, the most famous rose wine in UK.  This bag in box has been designed in order to target a female audience.

The packaging is the opportunity to develop one or more dimensions of the mark, being creative and offbeat.
This type of packaging also now displays an originality and creativity overflowing marking the minds and pushed the traditional codes of bottling. Clever, transgression draws the eye and curiosity of the consumer. The aim of this new concept of packaging is to look outside the marketplace with new ideas that company could use for its own packaging. The uncommon packaging can also be a tool to provide added value to its packaging and affect the practicality of the product.

The brand has to find his style and surprise the consumer, by promoting emotion without harming the product, so that it remains registered in his mind, the "top of mind".

The Eco-Friendly Wine Packaging

Under the pressure of the increasingly environmentally conscious consumer, packaging must now be designed in logic of eco-environmental, performance, seducing consumers and reducing waste.

We can also notice a new advertising argument, as being the wellness, pleasure, and authenticity with tradition. The media conveys massively the idea of a food and environmental crisis, which creates worries for the consumers.

In supermarkets, we can see new innovative packaging. For example, the plastic cork or the screw caps.

A new application is used for the wine packaging. Nowadays, the aim of the packaging isn't only to protect and sell. A new dimension of eco-packaging is rising.

‘Eco-packaging must do all that but also have minimal eco-impact, well be targeted, be a team player, plan for en of life, and plan for the next life.'

Jedlicka (2009: 8)

Sustainable packaging is a strategic marketing move and Market forces are shaping the way of consuming. Products use to be made, consumed and then thrown away. Nowadays, products and their packages are remade for another kind of use, through a linear consumption, in a frame of new awareness of the purpose of what and how we chose to consumer.

Not only the innovation of packaging will illustrate the product, but they it will also be communicate and talk about the packaging reduction efforts.

‘Now, along with information practices, not only can he consumer make an educated decision about the food they eat, but about the impact of that choice'

Jedlicka (2009:24).

At first, we will define the term sustainability. Several definition and ideas have been used, however this is not a fully definition.

The most adequate definition of sustainability is the definition bythe World Commission on Environment and Development. The commission suggests that sustainability should be defined as:

‘Forms of progress that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.'

(Brundtland Commission).

For example the cork has been replaced by the screw and synthetic corks, and the bottle is slowly being replaced by new type of containers by winemakers. For instance, wineries created innovative packages for the introduction of the PET bottles, the bag-in-boxes varieties, the different versions of the TetraPaks, aluminium containers and even stand-up pouches.

Those innovations on packaging are revolutionising the market of the wine industry. With a new vision as recyclable, unbreakable, lighter and visually attractive, the wine industry associate new bottles, with new packaging materials, new aspects, and new labels in order to attract new type of customer and even to target new type of niche markets.

The wine industry found new eco-friendly environmental packaging option. Marketers offer to winemakers a new fresher brand with new positioning, using new packaging as a solution for a repositioning of their range of wine. An example is the new packaging from Astrapak; their benefits would be the convenient way of use and transporting, it is lightweight and sustainable.

The demographics changes and consumption habits lead to use more packaging. Once products are consumed, they become waste.

Faced with this increase of packaging waste, environmental issue are rise. Consumers are now concerned with the management of waste, including those due to packaging.

Companies and marketers are aware of the challenges proposed by eco-design to the public. According Bethiness Laurence, director of trends and innovations of brands, it is also becoming ‘the new must-have' packaging. (La revue des marques, 2008, 61, 48)

A report also statute that the respondents has to give alternatives to glass bottles

‘37% indicates that they would be prepared to consider them. Plastic PET bottles and bag-in-box packaging had most consumer support. While the overwhelming majority, 63%, think all wine, however humble, should be packaged in glass bottles, when they were shown other forms of packaging, five out of six were neutral towards - or indicated they were likely to buy - at least one type of alternative packaging.'

(The Wine And Spirit Trade Association:2007)

Therefore, companies are getting increasingly involved in the packaging industry, promoting not only the consumer economy, but also the biodegradation and recycling of materials.

Eco-design is defined as ‘the improvement the ecological quality of a product' according to Ademe (Bethiness, La revue des marques, 2008, 61, 49).

This improvement requires action on several approaches:

• * The choice of materials when designing or improving packaging;
• * The type of energy required during the production phase, the distribution, transportation and management of end of life (recycling, re-use, composting);
• * The communication made about packaging itself, which does not happen often because companies are afraid of lose their credibility by highlighting their good will.

Besides the commitment of industry, consumers must also be involved. Therefore, it would be beneficial for companies to communicate their actions and their results.

‘In food packaging, there is an unbalance between nutritional speech, too dominant, and the ecological speech, too discreet.'

(L. Wallentin,  La revue des marques, 2008, 61, .38)

The consumer would be led to understand that packaging should not be regarded as a simple waste but as a real material to recycle. Consumer becoming more difficult, eating motif becoming knowledgeable in terms of their packaging choices and seem to be pushed towards alternative packaging.

Creative solutions must be devised to provide pedagogically on packages to induce body movements such as the intelligent sorting.

With this new type of packaging, companies have the benefit of new communication opportunities.

‘These innovations are helping us attract a new demographic and get people interested in wine with something other than the traditional presentation'

(Jean Charles Boisset :Beverage World: 2008: 56)

‘The innovative - greener - packaging is central to the positioning of new wines targeting a new type of drinker. The pack enhances both visibility and the financials.'

(Nigel Fordham: The new marketing packaging: Wildduck : 2008)

The aluminium bottle is an innovation from wineries which produces the bottle using technology with pilfer-proof cap on the bottle to keep the quality of the wine without altering the taste or standard of the wine.

The differentiation with the colour of the aluminium packaging makes the wine stand out on the shelf, increasing brand recognition among consumers, and in the same time, the safety and freshness. These criteria of selection are important to the consumers who see this type of wine ideal for outdoor use and to keep it longer by reducing oxidation from light penetration.

With this type packaging, companies hope to attract a broad range of consumers due to his function, and also the visual appealing to the consumer.

‘Mommensin Beaujolais' in an aluminium bottle.  This packaging is continually recyclable, screw cap, to make it re-sealable.

The example of the Boisset Family estate is another illustration of breaking the rules in the wine industry. This burgundy estate is known for its vision of sustainability developing alternative packaging, generating a new mode of consumption. The use of PET bottles have 50 % lower carbon footprint than traditional glass wine bottles. It can be recycled continuously.

For some cases, the innovation in packaging were entirely a new concept, giving a new life to the existing brand

‘ All of these innovations have helped us to transcend our traditional thinking of wine - how to market wine, how to talk about wine - and have really helped us to bring another dimension as far as how we look at wine itself and how we convey how to drink wine at the consumer level'

(Jean-Charles Boisset:Beverage Industry: 2008 :99:12)

Both brands are examples of how establishing a point of difference with consumers through unique, stylish packaging can lead to success.

One of the most seen new packaging on shelves of supermarket is the Tetra Prism.

For example Boisset Family Estates, a family-owned producer and importer of fine wines based in Burgundy, France have launched ‘French Rabbit', a wine packed in octagonal.

The owner of the winery says that new containers ‘are state-of-the-art packaging that will revolutionize the wine industry'.

The company also reinforces their communication about this innovative product with their message as ‘for every 4 French Rabbit wines sold, one tree is planted.'

French rabbit was the first premium wine in a tetrapak lunched in 2005.

This new version of the Tetrapak is based on cartons, composed with 70% paper, which make this product more recyclable than glass, considering the significant decrease on weight. Another factor earth-friendly is the reducing of carbon from the transportation.

‘100% recyclable, Tetra-Prism containers reduce packaging by 90% in comparison to typical glass wine bottles.'

(French Rabbit wines: About the rabbit: Tetra Prism)

This Chardonnay from the South of France is made in a Burgundian style; this Chardonnay is described as flavours of citrus and stone fruits, and presents a slogan ‘Savour the wine. Save the planet.

(www.frenchrabbit.com)

The use of paper cartons is not only the new type of innovation in term of packaging.

Another container is coming on the market, the can, which gain more and more attraction. This use of packaging is not new in the market, however, new research have been made for wine, preserving qualities and freshness.

This is the case of Barokes Australian Premium Wine, an Australian-based vineyard, which introduced in the market a process known as ‘Vinsafe'. This innovation guarantees the longevity of the wine in the can.

(www.wineinacan.com)

The American Neibaum-Coppola Winery is using the same concept with Sophia Minis, which brings to the wine more sophisticated style.

This Sofia Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine Minis is targeting for example the new young consumer, trendy and looking for fashion.

(www.franciscoppolawinery.com)

The bag in box (BIB). Even if this type of packaging is seen as cheap wine, and do not contain premium brands, the consumer can still get quality wine.

‘The quality of bag in box wine has improved tremendously in recent years. But the perception of the consumer is very different' said professional wine taster Susan Hulme, from the Association of Wine Educators.

(Reuters: 2007)

The example is Blackstone Black Box Merlot which quickly moved from the low category of wine to the premium box revolution.

The benefit of this packaging is the freshness that can stay up to 3 weeks after opening.

Wine in flexible pouches is known to have 80% less of a carbon emission than wine bottles. The Company of Versus wine is pushing its product to the European.

The consumer can see benefit though these pouches as the convenience of transport and storage. The wine is said to remain fresh up to 1 month.

Nowadays the marketers in the wine industry are pushing further the new way of packaging strategies both cheaper and greener.

The aim of the companies creating this type of packaging in to reduce, recycle and renew. Some research have been made on the field of packaging, including wine packaging, creating use packaging always more efficient.

The scientific and technological advances in the field of wine packaging pursue objectives: the satisfaction with the taste and quality of product, convenience, health, and safety, increasing sophistication and intelligent packaging cue.

However the only gap that we can find in literature between this mainstream success for these new packaging is perception from the consumers. We found some lack of information on the wine buyer‘s perception on the value of sustainable packaging.

The Research Process

The Questionnaire Design

The purpose of this study is to elicit the methodology adopted achieved using an exploratory study on consumers' perception of sustainable wine packaging.

The primary purpose of the researcher is to use exploratory research to provide insights and understanding into the study in a preliminary way. As the observation and the limited number of respondents will influence the direction of the study, this research will not attend to provide a precise answer but estimate one. Therefore the research will find a greater interest in using this type of research and does not have specific assumptions concerning the survey problem.

A questionnaire had to be completed by wine consumers, wine makers, wine shop owners, and retailers of France, Italy and England.

The research was designed to present the relevant dimensions that consumers take into account with regards to wine packaging, what they perceive and describe comparing different type of wine packaging.

The type of survey method chosen has been structured questions, where the researcher will have to explore the participants' response to the topic. The study has targeted consumers between 20 and 60 years old from European countries.

The questionnaire method chosen as its application, coding, analyzing and interpretation of the data are rather simple. Respondents have been limited to choose from a set of alternatives, the results are reliable. However following the attitude measuring questions, respondents could give unconscious answers. (Malhotra 2004)

In order to allow respondents to easily express their perceptions, therefore avoiding suggested answers a repertory grid (RGT) approach was followed.

The RGT technique of interview is used to illustrate people's description. The RGT allows respondents to freely express their opinions and the researcher to avoid bias. In fact, the researcher will simply submit the possible choice that could help the respondent to express themselves in depth. Finally an RGT technique is relevant according to their approach in consumer behaviour studies as it elicits the different perceptions by the respondent who is asked to identify one of the alternative wine packaging.

In order to complete this survey, the questionnaire was composed of four main groups of questions. First of all the researcher categorized the questions on the consumers' knowledge of wine packaging, their attitudes and behaviour toward this type of drink, whether they bought wine or not, and the perceived influences they could expect of their buying behaviour from their relatives, followed by other questions such as their shopping behaviour and frequency of purchase.

The questionnaire contained questions on age, gender, education, and being a wine consumer. There were also questions about the importance of the environment.

To test their knowledge of sustainable wine packaging, the respondents have been asked to tell if they knew what sustainable packaging was.

Beforehand the respondents had to identify aspects of wine packaging. In order to make it, answers were given from 1 to 5 according to their degree of knowledge

Following, questions were asked about their attitudes towards the social benefits, and environmental friendliness of wine packaging, together with a general question about their attitude.

As the researcher was expecting that some of those respondents would have had already experienced innovative wine packaging, therefore would have a more positive attitude to it, a question in this respect was asked.

The questionnaire ended with several questions about consumers' willingness to buy this type of wine, or consume sustainable packaging wine' food habits in their way of consumption.

The recruitment process implicated a short brief of the purpose of the research topic. The survey has been asked in different places (restaurant, wine shop, wine bar, cafes  ...) where the respondent would feel more relaxed and open to discuss. The researcher was present for most of the cases, and could eventually ask further questions when answers were unexpected or needed more explanation. With this face to face interview or questionnaire, the researcher has the opportunity to ask in depth the assessor opinion, and analyse the attitude towards the packaging. This type of approach was very interesting in terms of analysing the understanding behind the choice and unexpected suggestions.

Another quite innovative approach for filling the questionnaire was the use of the webcam and the microphone interview, where the respondent has the image on PDF document. With this concept, the interviewer could exchange with the respondent about his opinion and his choice. However the researcher found some limitation to his interviews, such as the time available from the respondent to be able to answer correctly, some bad interferences using internet etc...

The Sampling

First of all, a remark has to be made on the limited time and money to make this survey. The results found may be different according to the type of education, the country of origin and experience that can shape the way of thinking. It is commonly accepted that occupation, age, and gender influence buying attitudes; in other words, the sample chosen may not be completely representative of the population of the wine consumers.

In order to better understand the buying behaviour, a sample of 26 consumers has been chosen by the researchers, and been asked to determined differences across 8 bottles and to summarize them in descriptive. The entire respondent had the same questionnaire, with the same inquiries.

In the pilot of the questionnaire, the bottles where the original ‘branded' product, and the research had been faced to a dilemma as the respondent where easily influenced by the colour and logo design of the label or packaging. In his handbook, Danger (1987) explains the use of colour in commerce and industry and explains that colour is the first sign that the consumer will see on. Therefore, the research made some changes using Photoshop to make those bottles the most neutral as possible, in black and white, erasing any elements that could affect the perception of the consumer.

The research had also to make some changing in the way of expressing the questions, as the respondent had the feeling to answer several time to same type of questioning, or interpreted in a way that didn't fulfilled the interviewer. Therefore several prototype of questionnaire has been evaluated before to lunch the final survey.

The exploratory research suggests a sample of the population compatible and representative of the market nature of the research. The researcher attempted to equally depart the sample between males and females. As a consequence, the research chose criterion such as the correlation on the gender, and the occupation to get uniformity on the results.

The researcher specifically asks participants obviously interested in wine consumption. In other word, this study has been oriented to typical wine consumers, which are more closely reflective of the wine market.

The innovation on this study is the analysis and transcription of respondents, in order to better understand the meaning accredit by the consumer to the wine. Those respondents that have been used for this research were equally divided into 12 students, 10 wine consumer, 3 wine shop owners, 2 restaurants and 1 organic shop owner.  However those interviewers were not equally selected from the same country. The sampling is meant to be targeted but random sampling has been applied.  In this sampling, all the respondents have bought wine at least in the last month.

Limitations

The number of respondent, occupation, and lack of origin diversity homogeneity were the first limitation of the research. The lack of time was the second limitation, as not every respondent could dedicate the equivalent time on the questionnaire.

Only 34 respondents were recruited during the survey. Therefore, due to the small amount of participants, the study may not reflect the wine consumer market. Also, most of the respondents were either French of English. This may affect the orientation of the results, and no generalisation can be made.

Results

Table 1 illustrates the wine packaging of each bottle seen by the respondent. In order to explain what the table constitutes, the researchers based their survey on the number of common description identified.

The higher the description assigned to the wine packaging on average, the closer the appropriate perception from the consumer‘s description is considered.

	Words mentioned by the respondents
Bag in Box Plastic bottle Pouches Aluminium bottle Tetrapak Glass bottle Single serve aluminium Single serve can	Practical - Functional Classic- Traditional Functional - Innovative- Original Modern - Design - Shinny Standard - Not adapted Traditional- Classic - Elegant Contemporary - Modern - Not adapted Not adapted - Ugly

Description for each packaging

In this table, we can see that the descriptions given for each packaging are different, depending on the respondents' ability to assign each wine packaging.

Each assessment can be seen as the final picture of the objects which are defined by the respondents.

Due to the limited number of respondents and time, the nature of the survey and orientation could vary. However for this study the researcher looked for similarities between the respondents profiles which can briefly show the trend.

As we can see, the results show that the respondents tend to highly describe the packaging in term of the shape, in term of tradition or innovation. Conversely, the respondent seemed to mainly correlate the second factor as the dimension of the packaging use.

The differences have been often suggested during the descriptive dimension comparing the traditional wine packaging to the innovative, recycled wine packaging.

What the researcher often noticed is that wine consumers are likely to outline the dimension of aesthetic and importance of the use of the packaging associated with the price of the wine, as in a low or bad quality wine.

This evidence was all the more obvious according to the genre of the respondent. In this study, women seem to be more interested with the concept of innovation and youth for the wine packaging.

From the research, it seems to be a quite clear representation of the descriptive dimension. The interviewed wine consumers during their description and assessment of the different packaging had shown a great interest in the complexity of the packaging and its abstractness.

In this context, the researcher had analysed a more qualitative approach.

In this section of the interview, the researcher took some notes of the phrases of the respondents. After the data collection, an analysis of the answers has been performed.

The different adjectives and names have been assembled as a guide to the researcher.

First of all, a qualitative profile of each sustainable wine packaging has been developed, related to the descriptive dimensions suggested by the assessors.

Additionally, the researcher analysed each answers, referring to each packaging features (materials, shape, use size etc …)

The researcher has identified two different level of the wine consumer way of thinking, with a different perception.

First of all, the most obvious attribute given for each packaging was in term of concrete attributes of the sustainable packaging. Within the different justification for each description, the researcher tried to decode and identified the distinct quotations that made the researcher more able to understand that attributes given by the wine consumer to the packaging.

In this section, the main work on the researcher was to interpret the descriptive dimensions used by the assessors.

The analysis has been constructed from the concrete attribute suggested by the respondent to the most abstract one of the packaging.

During the interview, all respondents talked about their perception in term of practicability and stressed differentiation comparing each packaging, both expressing their preferences.

The researched suggest some of the following quotations to illustrate the differences assigned by the respondents:

• It looks like a cheap wine . . .
• it looks like a common soda/fizzy drink…
• I like to see the tint of the wine; I the aluminium bottle is not adapted…
• I like to see the tint of the wine within the packaging, I cannot with this bottle….
• The material is nice, less packaging waste and it looks eco-friendly…
• I like the match of the wine being serve as single use…

In the case of wine itself, the opacity in the material used for those packaging seems to be the most considered factors for the respondents. Just through this attribute, the wine consumer seems to be more confident when they have to do their wine purchasing, and be able to discriminate across other products, giving different level of value to the wine.

The type of material used seems to be crucial for those consumers, however in a more conceptual way. In fact, the respondents appeared to look for harmony and balance, coherence and association with the product itself as wine in its use and in regard with the fact that it is not a basic product.

Among the fact of that consumer see wine as product apart, the material used as packaging seems to be important to them as well as the shape and the size. Those features seem to be relevant to the consumer.

For example, the size as bottle or single serve assume to be significant to the respondent in term of visual attractiveness, however, the researcher hasn't found a particular evidence showing that the assessor suggest different use. The results only demonstrate the first level of perception from the respondent point of view.

For example between the single serve aluminium bottle and the single serve can, respondent often said:

…These packaging are both smaller than the usual glass bottle . . .

Reciprocally, in the case of the ‘bordelaise' glass bottle, the respondents consider this type of wine packaging as traditional or classic.

However, when comparing this traditional bottle with the other type packaging, the researcher immediately remark that the shape are the first element that the respondent noticed:

…These look like the same shape…

• it is angular…
• It is brick shape…
• It is a modern shape…

The square type of packaging seems to be often associated with low quality wine. For example, the fact that the packaging is not soaring up in an elegant way seem to affect the wine consumer impression on the wine quality.

• It looks like orange juice brick…
• It makes me think to the soda drinks . . .

The level of concern to environment related to the wine packaging has been progressively observed through the questions.

The materials are assessed with respect to their recyclability, shape, size, and storage in comparison with the common bottle.

To recapitulate what the respondent said, the material seems to be clearly evaluated by the assessor and is immediately linked with the consumption of this wine. For example, the type of material used for those packaging with evoke a particular moment of way of consuming the wine:

• this packaging is good for picnic, and barbecue with friends in a garden…

This is convenient when you have to go somewhere and transport easily wine…

•  I wouldn't use this packaging when receiving visitor, it is not class…
• It is convenient to store in a place because it take less space…

The shape is often assessed as a signal of packaging design and aesthetic to the respondent criteria. Additionally, it is suggested that consumer get a kind of stimuli regarding the appearance of the packaging, and will categorise the wine in function of the shape.

Finally the environmental message about the wine packaging type is mainly ignored when consumer see object. What seems obvious for the respondent is the type of materials used, the shape and aesthetic of the product.

•  The aluminium bottle has a positive effect on me…
• This packaging is nice for everyday use…
• It is pretty …I would like to try this wine
•  It gives me the sensation that it is a good wine…

The second level that the researcher observed in the respondent perception is the comparison made of all the type of packaging, making distinction:

•  This bottle is seems more recyclable than this one…
• This packaging looks less carelessly of the consumer's impression on quality of the wine compared to this one...
•  It looks cheaper than this one …

The word that seems to be said often is ‘shiny' and often influences consumers' perception on the type of quality and the price that the wine would suggest. During the interview, respondents link the design of the bottle, the innovation, the practicality and the materials and clearly distinguished them.

However the material attributes with the conservation seem to be relevant to those people, in distinction of the classical glass bottle

The comparison between tradition and innovation has been immediately observed.  Respondents clearly associated the modern opposed to classical.

•  The aluminium is modern compared to the glass bottle…
• It is classic, traditional features, sober and chic…
• It is modern and design…

The traditional features expressed by the respondents will vary according to the attitude of the respondent.

For example, tradition for some respondents would be the shape, and some other would be the type of material used as a sign of lack of modernisation.

•  It is too modern . . . it doesn't express a message of tradition . . .
•  It is attractive, the new shape and use, so different from the other . . .

The innovation is generally positively appreciated by the respondent.

However the researcher can see association made in details about their way of consuming wine.

In this part, the researcher highlights the importance of the product packaging for the respondent. Some remarks have been said as the aesthetic of the bottle is important during their buying process.

Many of the respondents during the interview was referring to the type of packaging using word as classical, modern, trendy, traditional. However, when the question raised about will they buy those type of wine bearing in mind those sustainable packaging, the researcher faced a disagreement among the respondents. In general the respondents defined those type of packaging as being cheap wine, which give them a negative impression of the wine quality, therefore, the general opinion were pessimistic.

Even if it was clearly stated which type of the packaging they liked or disliked, their preference were changed according to their preference depending on the occasion where they would consume those wine.

For this topic, the opinions were diverging, dependent of the genre of the respondents. As for, women seems to be more influence by the shinny side of the aluminium bottle, than the carton side of the tetrapak or the bag in Box.

Most of the respondent linked the type of packaging with their way of consuming. For instance, some respondent stated that they would use rather this one than this one for everyday or this one for the social occasion.

All of the respondents could state which types of wines they liked or disliked, it was clear that many changed their preference depending on the occasion during which the wine was to be consumed.

A very interesting comment has been suggested by a consumer saying that he always linked the type of packaging with the type of food served with it, and that they might be influence by the type of packaging depending of the type of person coming of the special occasion.

During the interview, the researcher noticed that the wine that the consumer would potentially purchase would reflect them as individual, and would identify them to the type of packaging.

Comments included objection such as:

• I would choose this type of packaging because it looks more expensive, and quite attractive to impress my guest…
•  If I had to give a gift for some of my friends, I would choose this one, because it looks more special and unusual…

One of the respondents added:

• If I bring this type of thing (packaging) to my friends' house, I'm sure they will not be happy…
•  I would bring this wine to people who I'm sure have no knowledge about wine…
•  I know what is a good and a bad wine, that type of packaging suggest bad quality…

After those discussions with the different assessor, it appears to be particularly important to the respondent, when purchasing those wines, their feelings and other wine consumers' impression. Basically, this means that the type of packaging and wine would clearly reflect the type of person.

Some of them clearly stated that they could judge the social status or the social ‘education' referring to the wine packaging cues.

The opposition

The packaging appearance seems to influence more the young consumer in different ways. The form of the products appears to be the first characteristic that they noticed, and seem to influence in many ways their preference. While the novice wine consumer seem to focus more on the material used and the conservation of the product over time.

Another opposition can be made between male and female perception. Even if there are differences on experimenting sustainable packaging, there is certain psychological association that the researched noticed in the shape of the products. If it is shown in psychology that angular forms are the symbol of masculinity and round form, feminism, the research found this type of association in his findings. Angular forms seem to appeal more to male audience (e.g. Tetrapak), while the roundness and circularity seems to attract for a feminine audience. However both type of genre seems to generally accept the round shaped wine packaging, defining them as modern and design whereas the other raw packaging evoke to the consumer a sense of outdated and cheap type of wine.

The Restaurant

If only two restaurants were participants, English and French, the acceptation of the sustainable packaging seems to be accepted. The opinion seems to be rather neutral in general. The modernity, aesthetic and practicality and functionality appear to be the first attribute they noticed.

However the purchase intention is negative as for those restaurant owners, with type of packaging only target a low quality wine, which cannot be store for several years. Only young wine could be found in those packaging, with consumption relatively close to the date of purchase according to their opinion. It seems common for both of them that those sustainable packaging are not adapted to the wine product and is synonymous of low quality wine.

The paradox

The research had the chance to meet an organic shop owner during the research, and proposed the questionnaire. With surprise, the respondent show a very divergence between the opinion of the organic attitude as being eco -friendly, and the fact that the person did not like those type of packaging for the wine. According to the participant, this type of packaging is not at all adapted to the wine, and in no case this should be suggested to the wine maker.

The packaging, the preferences and their impression on the quality of the product

To simple the interpretation, the participants had to rank the quality of the wine and the preferences among the other packaging between 1(the higher mark) to 5(the lowest mark). The graphs show those results in the Appendixes.

The Bag In Box:

The sample seems to rather accept this packaging with 39% of the opinion as stated ‘Neutral'

The Plastic Bottle:

The majority of the opinion seems to be divided between the neutral and the fact of liking the packaging; however the quality impression of the wine appears to be low.

The Pouches:

With 61 % of positivity, the pouches seem to be accepted in terms of preference but are likely to be considered as a low quality wine

The Aluminium Bottle

This sustainable packaging seem to be the second best ranking object, with respectably 54 % of the respondents ranking the bottle as ‘good', and 54% as good quality wine.

The Tetrapak:

This packaging seems to be seen as low quality wine and the opinion seems to be neutral.

The Glass Bottle:

This packaging is considered as the best quality wine packaging, and is massively measured as the best quality wine with a percentage of 100%.

The Single Serve Aluminium:

We can notice some difference about the quality of the wine between very low quality and medium quality wine. We can also find similarities in the packaging preferences. Considering the result of the aluminium bottle, the research can ask the question if the single serving is considered as low quality wine, rather than the use of material.

The Single Serve Can:

This packaging is perceived as the worth packaging used for wine product. 68% of the sample considers this packaging as a very low quality wine and 71% disagree with the use of this material for the wine packaging.

Conclusion

In this study the results using an exploratory survey and the analysis and interpretation have been presented.

The RG approach demonstrates its effectiveness in term of insight of the situation. The research was interesting in using this methodology by giving the interviewees choices to express without restraint their perception. All the more this type of questionnaire let the respondents to gradually rank their level of satisfaction and implicitly justification of their interest in those packaging, describing the objects

The use of the grids has been helpful for the interpretation of the data collection. However we can't make any conclusion based on this survey. This research only suggests a first glance of the consumer attitudes towards those packaging and their perception.

To construct this research, a sample of particular wine consumer has been chosen, using the RG application. This method was successful in showing the different dimension that the consumer assessed to describe the objects.

Once the data collected, the researcher analysed and used content analysis to interpret the findings. The results found can be concise in deferent parts.

The Effect of the type of packaging on the wine consumer perception is clearly pertinent.

The primary picture of the sustainable wine packaging is described within two kinds of dimensions by the respondent. The very basic attributes that affect their perception are the shape of the object, its size and its design. The wine consumer appears to classify one packaging referring to alternatives objects with a specify justification. Then the other dimension that seems to be identified is their consideration of the use of this packaging. The approach that the researcher tends to suggest is the perception of the consumer among alternative wine packaging, where the respondent immediately stated their preferences.

In this study, the consideration of the wine packaging identify was categorized between the tradition and the innovativeness, the originality and the banality, the care and the careless of the consumer perception of the wine quality.

It seems obvious that those wine consumers would have different level of interest in those wine packaging.

A kind of rationality has been perceived among the general message of the sustainable product. And those consumers seem to be well aware of the sustainable packaging and seem to feel concern with the environment's conservation.

The importance of the packaging and its aesthetic is obviously relevant to the consumer. However, the packaging design with the type of material used becomes an issue to the buying decision process according of the wine consumer.

The research also seems to show that the wine consumers will vary their product criteria of, depending on the occasion of consummation of the product.

Through this study the research tend to show the impact of the marketing mix on the wine industry.

On the one hand, the winemakers show reconsider how they want to target their audience, knowing that consumer can be easily influenced and can switch product if they make them upset. On the other hand, the wine industry practitioner should better focus their marketing efforts on the understanding of the consumer perception of product itself. This is a necessary work in order to position the product.

These suggestions were practiced by the leading Californian winery Gallo, lunching their ‘Gallo rose' packaged in a pink bag-in-box to appeal to it's the female youth market renewing the traditional BIB market.

As a conclusion of this research, further developments undertaken. Some areas can be further engaged such as the investigation in depth of the packaging attributes preferences of the wine consumers, where the researcher could identify the attributes preferences of the wine packaging, and then analyse the motivation of the consumer within the sales promotion on the wine consumer decision making process and brand equity. 

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