Since you can only read article’s from Media Post if you are a member (sign up for free here, I promise you will not be disappointed) I want to copy and paste an article I read about the trend of trading-down with wine and beer.
Consumers traded down and drank more of their spirits, wine and beer at home last year, slowing the industry’s overall growth, confirms Handbook Advance 2009 from The Beverage Information Group.
Last year’s growth came from off-premise consumption of value-priced spirits, wine and beer – a reversal of the trend toward premium brands that’s been driving growth in recent years.
Imported beer and wine took the largest hits. Beer imports’ growth dropped from 12% in 2006 to 2.8% in 2007 to a 1.2% decline last year. Among the domestic categories, lights remained a bright spot, growing 2.2% to represent 51.8% of the total beer market.
Wine imports posted an aggregate decline of 1.7%, reflecting the economy, the weak value of the U.S. dollar and a grape surplus in Australia. However, there were “pockets of positive momentum” among smaller importing countries like Argentina, Chile and New Zealand, according to the group.
Article written by Karlene Lukovitz
Wait, how can you go further down than Two Buck Chuck and Pabst Blue Ribbon? Just kidding… kinda. But really, I have found myself both trading-down as well as branching out on my purchases. Buying more cheaper imports (which dismisses the what the research above states) and different varietals other than pinot noir. I am definitely trying more of the under $10 bottles at Trader Joes… So far, I haven’t been too impressed, but more importantly, I haven’t been disappointed.
April 2nd, 2009 at 9:50 am
I’m certainly not at the 2buck Chuck level yet…but I’ve gone from not thinking twice about dropping a Benjamin on a bottle of wine to snarfing around for a good $12-18 bottle of wine. I’m drinking more Aussies and being much more resourceful than ever before.