Samenvatting

Sustainability has grown to be an important topic in wine-making in the past years and is now more relevant than ever, as the wine industry is experiencing a shift to a more environmental-friendly production of wine. The goal of this research was to identify the consumers’ preferences for the different types of eco-certified wines in the Netherlands. Literature suggests that the preferences for eco-certified wines are affected by factors such as demographics, knowledge and attitudes. These affect the willingness to pay and the likeliness to buy eco-certified wines. Results of a survey among Dutch wine consumers indicate higher likeliness to buy in case the wine is labelled with a visible eco certification. Second, consumers are familiar with most of the certifications. Additionally, consumers seem to be more likely to buy eco-certified wines if they also buy other eco-certified products on a regular basis. Factors such as gender and age influence the consumer preferences as well. Finally, the occasion for which the wine is bought, mainly for regular consumption and special occasions, also affects the consumer preference and willingness to pay. Recommendations for the industry are therefore to focus on these factors such as gender, age and knowledge to achieve market growth.