Cultural Convergence: Consumer Behavioral Changes in the European Wine Market

Abstract

The paper illustrates a comparative study of alcoholic beverage consumption in the European Union. Per capita consumption data for the countries studied were examined over a 55-year period. Consumer behaviors in developed countries of the European Union appear to be converging in many ways due to increasing interconnectedness and cultural cross-fertilization. Economists and consumer researchers are interested in identifying this convergence and to what extent the consumption patterns are becoming similar. As national borders and traditional cultural boundaries become blurred, consumer preferences for types of alcoholic beverages, particularly wine, appears to be driven less by previous regional traditions, and more by growing acceptance of a cultural change. In particular, this study finds that the dissimilarity of wine consumption has narrowed significantly between the northern and southern European countries.

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Notes on contributors

David E. Smith

David E. Smith, National University, 3390 Harbor Blvd, Costa Mesa, CA 92626, USA (E-mail: [email protected]).