Label design, packaging, and the Canadian Millennial/Gen Z wine consumer

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this study was to examine how Canadian Millennial/Gen Z wine consumers use packaging cues when purchasing wine. Focus groups (ages 19–33) were used to qualitatively evaluate package design preferences. A simulated shopping experience was combined with a series of led discussion questions and sorting exercises. The results showed that when considering wine packaging, Millennials/Gen Z show a preference for simple and modern packaging. They were more likely to experiment with products with non-traditional designs when consuming wine at home or casually with friends. They are concerned with value over quality and expect and perceive modern designs to be well-priced. When the aspirational nature of being a wine drinker and the importance of family and professional recommendations are combined, it was observed that traditional wine labels are still important in this market. Designs that appeal to this age group for personal/casual consumption are simple and streamlined. As this consumer group matures, observing and discussing the shopping behaviors of wine in real time can provide unique insights into their potential shift from traditional to more modern packaging design in the Canadian wine industry.KEYWORDS: WinelabelingMillennials/Gen Zpackaging designconsumer shopping behavior AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to thank Mitacs Global Link and Toronto Metropolitan University for providing funding to support this study.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Supplementary materialSupplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/15378020.2023.2265794Additional informationFundingThis work was supported by the Mitacs [2018GRI].