WINE BUYERS SEEK HELP, SURVEY SHOWS
-fourth of premium wine buyers find shopping for wine complex, and they rely on shelf descriptions and store staff recommendations in their decision making, according to a new study by Constellation Wines U.S. here. The findings suggest opportunities for retailers, such as "how-to" in-store displays. The "Overwhelmed" group targeted by such displays represented the biggest of six consumer segments that emerged from an online survey of more than 3,500 premium wine buyers. Others included Savvy Shoppers, who seek wine at a good value and Traditionalists, who seek wine made by a longstanding winery.
BREWERS PLAN ADVERTISING CAMPAIGN
NEW YORK -- Brewers are planning a beer awareness ad campaign and new products over the next 12 months to revive interest in beer, which has come to be seen as cheap and unpopular in consumers' eyes, Citigroup beverage analyst Bonnie Herzog wrote in an Oct. 23 research note. She maintained her recommendation that investors stay out of beer stocks until there's evidence that these measures will bear fruit, however. According to a Citigroup survey of wholesalers representing 50 warehouses, brewers are waging a price war that will continue into next year, further eroding beer's image.
