A study by was carried out in Serbia, from April/May, 2010 to April/May, 2011 analyzing consumer goods. For the purpose of the study, wines were grouped into the following categories: red, white, rose, sparkling and dessert wines. As could be expected, findings of the study show that white and red wines are the best sellers; together, they account for more than 90% of total sales. Research also revealed that consumption was greater during the winter, as red wine accounted for 50% of sales in December/January. White wine only made up 42.2% in terms of total sales value. During summer, Serbia’s primacy shifts to white wines, whose total consumption among customers reaches 48.6% in the August/September period. Sales of rose wines were fairly uniform over time, varying from a low 3.8% in August/September, 2010 to a high of 4.2% at the end of the study. The share of dessert wines is consistently decreasing; it fell from its 3.5% share in April/May 2009 to 2.7% a year later.
Sparkling wines have a very small share of the market. In terms of sales value, red wines again have the highest market share in Serbia and an even greater advantage over white wines – 52.2% vs. 37.7. Rose wines have a stable share value over time. Dessert wines, in Serbia, have showed a downward trend, falling to 3.6% in April/May 2010 from 4.6% a year earlier. When it comes to point of sale, there are differences in volume, value share and trends. In terms of volume of sales, small grocery shops have the lead with their share varying from 28.2 to 31.3% over a two year period. Supermarkets had the largest share in December/January 2010 – 35.7%. Previously, supermarkets’ share had fluctuated even more than that of small grocery shops, oscillating from 26.2% in April/May, 2009; down to 21.3% in June/July, 2009; and back to 27.8% at the end of the study. For small grocery stores, major changes in the share of sales volume can be seen, as its share fluctuated from 26.2% in April/May, 2009; before increasing to 29% in August/September 2009; decreasing to 22.2% in December/January, 2010; and finally recovering to 25% in April/May 2010. Hotels, restaurants and cafes have the lowest share in terms of the volume, with 14% in December/January, 2010; and a somewhat better result in June/July 2009, when it reached its highest share of 19.2%.
A different picture, however, emerges when it comes to value of sales – this point of sale takes about a third of the total market with the highest percentage in the summertime (35.7% in June/July, 2009). Supermarkets regain the number 1 position in the October – January period. The leading wine producers in Serbia in June 2009 – April 2010 period were, in alphabetical order: Navip, Rubin, Tikveš choke Winery, Vrsac vineyards and Wine parishes. Their aggregate market share in terms of volume was 73.8%. We will couple MEMRB study findings with those of Synovate, which conducted a study of wine consumption in Serbia in July, 2010 using a nationally representative sample of 600 men and women aged between 18 and 60 who are in charge of their household shopping. 46% of all respondents, in Serbia, indicated they drink wine, with men accounting for 57% of this group. Wine is usually drunk by respondents between 31 and 45 years of age, those are who are relatively more educated, and those with higher incomes. As for the frequency of drinking wine, wine consumers can be divided into three groups of roughly equal size: those who drink wine at least once a week (32%), those who drank at least once a month (35%) and those who drink wine less often than once a month (29%).
There is a fourth group of users which accounts for only four percent of wine consumers – those who drink wine every day. Analysis of demographic groupings shows that weekly users of wine are those of a higher social status and those aged between 31 and 45. Furthermore, middle-aged men (31-45 years) are more likely to drink wine on daily basis, whereas younger men (18-30 years) tend to drink on the weekly basis. Younger women (18-30 years) generally drink once per month, while older women (46-60 years of age) consume wine to a lesser extent. As As for the type of wine consumed, red wine leads with 76% of respondents, while white wine is drunk by 34% of consumers. Only 2% of respondents drink sparkling wine. Men prefer white wine (78%), while women often drink red wine (49%). This study revealed that consumers do not relate to brands, but rather to sorts of wine and to particular wineries.
Source balkans.com
