Understanding consumption choice of prosecco wine: an empirical analysis using Italian and German Homescan data

Abstract

This study analyses the degree to which wine consumers are truly able to intrinsically evaluate the meaning of a designation of origin certification or whether they generally consider such a certification to be a vague credence attribute. This issue was addressed through an empirical analysis of Homescan Panel data in the Italian and German markets, using a Heckman probit model to assess the role of consumers’ characteristics and habits in the choice of ‘Prosecco’ wines characterized by two different levels of the denomination of origin certification. Our results suggest that Prosecco sparkling wine is perceived as a product of medium-high positioning and is preferably purchased by households that buy wines with a higher unit price. In contrast, consumers who appreciate sparkling wine did not show any preference towards a specific type of Prosecco, especially outside the area of production, such as in the German market, which suggests that they still do not completely understand the difference between the certification levels.