Changing Patterns in Wine Consumption: The North‐South Divide

Consumer researchers are interested in the degree to which global convergence is occurring along with various consumer behaviour dimensions and to what extent the consumption patterns in different parts of the world are becoming similar. With increasing internationalisation and cultural cross‐fertilisation, the industrialised societies of the world are converging in many ways. Shifts in alcoholic beverage consumption patterns in Europe over the past 50 years may represent a case in point. As traditional cultural boundaries become blurred, consumer preferences for wine appears to be driven less by long‐standing local and regional traditions, and more by growing acceptance of a wider choice. The disparity of wine consumption among the 12 countries studied has also decreased. Other powerful forces are likely to accelerate the pace of convergence in the future.