Two teacher-researchers at ESC Pau have conducted a sociological study to explain the decline in wine consumption in France among the younger generations.
Following the results published by the OIV (Organisation Internationale de la Vigne et du Vin) at the 34th Congress in Porto last June, which showed a 17% drop in wine consumption in France, in volume terms, over the last 8 years, Thierry Lorey and Pascal Poutet, research professors at ESC Pau, carried out a study explaining the generational decline in wine consumption in France. To carry out their research, they opted for a sociological approach to the representations of wine by generation. The results were published in the International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business – volume 13, n°2.
The starting point
The aim of the two research professors from Pau is to explain the data published by the OIV at the 34th Congress in Porto.
Thierry Lorey and Pascal Poutet have examined the evolution of wine consumption by distinguishing between consumers according to their generation, rather than their socio-professional category, their other consumption habits… This sociological approach to wine consumption according to generation is as unexpected as it is innovative. Indeed, although this principle was theorized by sociologist Louis Chauvel in 1997 and then by sociologist and semiologist Jean-Luc Excousseau in 2000, this is the first time it has been used for wine in a qualitative and therefore non-econometric study.
39 long semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of the “heritage generation” (the over-65s), the “generation X” or “networks” (aged between 30 and 40, i.e. the 3rd baby boom generation) and the “generation Y” or “mosaic” (aged between 18 and 30). The results show that each generation has a different perception of wine and its consumption.
– the occasion of consumption: everyone agrees on the convivial nature of wine consumption. However, the frequency of consumption differs according to age. Regular (even daily) for the heritage generation, who enjoy it with family and friends, it is occasional and above all festive for generation X. Consumption becomes downright exceptional for Generation Y, and only connoisseurs evoke the notion of sharing.
– French heritage: for everyone, wine evokes French gastronomy and culture. The over-65s associate terroir, religious practices and regional winemaking traditions, Generation X is content with the wealth of appellations and knowledge, and Generation Y is disarmed by the complexity of appellations and the over-sophistication of the world of wine.
– wine choice: for the “heritage generation”, choosing a wine is easy. They generally opt for table wines, often the same ones. It’s more complicated for the 30-40 year-olds, who feel that drinking wine is elitist. Younger people would like a more modern container, so they can choose the contents more easily… But they remain attached to the standard codes that make wine a mass-market product unlike any other.
– health: for older people, wine is a healthy beverage (as long as consumption is moderate). Younger generations are more concerned about the dangers of alcohol, both in terms of road safety and healthy living, especially women.
Two major ruptures
Two major ruptures explain the decline in wine consumption in France. Firstly, between the “heritage” and “X” generations. While the importance of the historical and religious connotations of wine is gradually diminishing among younger people, older people have a collective representation of wine. The 30-40 age group, for their part, consider wine consumption to be the preserve of the more privileged. Then, between generations X and Y. The absence of transmission (particularly paternal, to which the “heritage generation” is very attached) leads 18-35 year-olds to a more individualized vision of wine. They fear its damaging effects on health, and consider it a luxury product.
Projections
The generational approach chosen by the two professors-researchers from Pau makes it possible to anticipate future consumption, since it assumes that consumption behavior does not really change over the years, for the same generation. We can therefore assume that the behavior of today’s young people foreshadows that of tomorrow’s adults. While the French are still the world’s leading wine consumers per capita (50 liters per year in 2010), the decline in the number of regular consumers for each of the new generations suggests that the decline in overall wine consumption in France in terms of volume will continue under the influence of “generations X and Y”. On the other hand, in terms of value, the shift in consumption from table wines to A.O.C[1] and vins de pays is set to continue, accentuating the social status dimension of wine initiated by “generation X”.
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