James Maitland of Seckford Wines Ltd says that supermarkets are a great nursery for developing wine interest. http://www.newsquoter.com/ViewQuote.aspx?QuoteId=347

Olly, As one who earns a living selling wine to the supermarkets I have watched supplier margins being squeezed for 13 years now. Pretty soon there won't be enough there for many of us to survive on! However I have always maintained that 'if it's too hot then get out of the kitchen'. So while I can still enjoy doing a deal or two I will....but when it all finally gets too tight then I guess I'll have to look elsewhere. Shame...but that's life I guess?! MD

The argument over supermarket discounting neatly ignores the uncomfortable fact that most of us now live in a discount culture. Before giving a presentation on the UK wine trade recently to a group of Argentine producers, I spent half an hour walking around my nearest shopping centre photographing promotions for half-price offers. These included pizzas, movie tickets, shampoo, sofas, knickers and potatoes. Members of the drinks industry who complain about under-pricing in supermarkets should take a look at the price they paid for the Ryanair and Easyjet flights they took to get away to the sun this summer. That's if they're not too busy reading their BOGOF novel. There's nothing remotely laudable or attractive in pretending that a carpet, a kitchen, a leather sofa or a bottle of Aussie wine is really being sold at half the price that it ought to cost. But, since when was unbridled capitalism supposed to be laudable and attractive? The idea of bringing in rules of some kind is appealing, but it's worth noting that the Irish have just thrown out a whole batch of theirs that were supposed to prevent selling at below cost - because they were too hard to implement.

As an operational marketing person, I certainly believe there may be increase in traffic and I doubt whether it will have a major incremental growth on the incidence. If the manufacturers are to create a focussed ATL and BTL efforts to expand their landscape as per their target clientele, then it will have a major growth. As a community and corporate social responsibility, the corporates need to play pivotal role on educating responsible drinking....the classic example I can quote is the markets like S.Africa where the corporates play a major proactive role on educating the public on 'responsible drinking'.

Speaking COMPLETELY as an individual voicing his own PERSONAL opinion. I would like to float the idea of an alcohol commodity exchange as a way round these issues. If alcohol were traded as a commodity then seasonal problems could be smoothed over and flourishing derivatives and futures markets created. Being regulated it would also enforce a great deal of transparency too. Any takers? Joe Claxton

Olly The damage done by supermarkets in Australia to the wine industry is imponderable. Supposedly taking advantage of a surplus, supermarkets have cut margins so badly the wine industry is struggling to survive in Australia. Sometimes supermarkets need to protect the industry they are making profits on, not rape it to death! Warm cheers, Peter