PORTUGAL: Consumers remain attached to cork closures
By just-drinks.com editorial team | 20 March 2002
A new survey of international wine drinkers has concluded that drinkers still prefer real cork stoppers in their bottles and suggests that the type of closure is still significant in their purchasing decision.
In a survey by The Moulton Hall research of wine drinkers in Australia, the UK and The US, commissioned by the Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR), 75% of respondents expressed a preference for natural cork, with just 9% for plastic stoppers. The preference was strongest in the US at 81%, with 73% and 72% respectively for the UK and Australia.
Meanwhile, a total of 69% believe that a real cork is a sign of a quality wine - rising as high as 83% in the US and 79% in Australia. At the opposite end of the spectrum, six out of ten people surveyed said that plastic stoppers have connotations of cheapness and one in two believed they suggest a wine is of a lower quality.
The type of closure was ranked as the fourth most important factor in wine choice with 26% of respondents claiming it was a "very important factor". While less important than previous experience of a wine (70%), style of wine (53%) and friends' recommendations (30%) it is more influential than the origin (22%), price (22%), special offers (21%) or label information (14%).
The type of closure was even considered more important than the brand name (21%), look of the bottle (5%), advertising (2%) and recommendations of writers (10%).
Consequently, 57% of drinkers want to have information on the type of stoppers in their wine available when they are buying it. And over half of those who prefer natural cork expressed "anger" or "disappointment" at the insistence of some supermarkets on plastic closures for their wine.
On the issue of wine quality, only 21% who have had a bottle of wine that was off believe it was because of problems with the cork. Indeed, the majority of respondents identified cork's ability to crumble as its "worst thing" (58%). Only 9% thought it was that it might "allow spoil".
Francisco de Brito Evangelista, the director of APCOR's International
Campaign for Cork, said: "This research revealed some facts that we have know for some time - that, ultimately, consumers still prefer natural cork stoppers for their wine and that real cork is still viewed as a indication of a quality wine.
"However, it has not been clear previously just how important the type of closure is when drinkers make their choice about what wine to buy. We would like to see greater labelling introduced with information on the closure used from both wine producers and retailers. Because at the end of the day it is all about customer choice and consumer satisfaction."
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PORTUGAL: Consumers remain attached to cork closures
There are currently 5 comments on this article
Dear Claudia
How can you expect the wine consumer/ retailer/ producer to accept the APCOR research as valid? Really, you are simply a "hired gun" who has been instructed to ignore the truth.
You state that "your research" showed that regular wine drinkers prefered cork. You do not have to be a genius to get that result. Of course cork is a more romantic looking closure, however, it is flawed.
Did you show the respondents of your research the effect cork taint has on wine? Did you let them smell a corked wine and tell them that there is a chance cork could do this to their wine? Of course not. If the research was based on asthetics alone then cork wins. When the consumer learns the truth about what cork can do to wine then you would get a completly diffent result (didn't you say "balanced & reasonable"?).
In the near future, as consumers become more aware, they will reject the cork as they would prefer not to take the risk.
Risk
I was very interested that APCOR believe that there is only 0.6% incidence of cork taint. Claudia, how many wine shows have you judged? Have you ever worked as a wine waiter? Has public relations (read 'spin doctoring') been your only connection to the wine industry? It must be if you believe the figure of 0.6%. It's closer to 10% and as low as 5% on Icon wines.
If you take anything from my reply please answer this. Why are some of the finest wine makers in the world, and the finest wine retailers (Tesco UK) adopting stelvin closures at such a rapid rate? I'll help you. They are more concerned in protecting the wine in the bottle than protecting their artificial industry!
Cork is on the way out. There is no other food product closed with cork and for good reason. Believe me, as consumers learn that 10% of their cellars are beind distroyed by your product they will cease using it.
It's funny the similarities you can draw (although not as devestating) between the cork industry and the tabacco industry of the late 70's. Both industries spent more money on telling their consumers that their product does no harm than actually fix the problem.
I look forward to the day when an influential lawyer decides to sue APCOR for negligence when he discovers up to 10% of his multi-million pound cellar has been distroyed by a component of a product (by your own 0.6% ommission) that was known to be faulty.
Please Claudia, do not try and hide PR behind questionable research. Fix the problem or invest in the manufacture of stelvin closures.
Agent Cork Taint said at 8:18 am, April 12, 2002
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