New Survey of 1,500 Americans Reveals Shifting Views on Wine and Wellness

The Wine Market Council is set to present new research on how American consumers view wine in relation to health and wellness. The findings will be shared during a webinar scheduled for January 21 at 11 a.m. Pacific Time. The event is open to council members and media representatives.

The study, titled “Wine & Wellness: Consumer Perceptions of Wine as It Relates to Health and Wellness,” surveyed more than 1,500 adults from across the United States. The sample was designed to reflect the U.S. population in terms of age, income, education, gender, and ethnicity. The research comes at a time when many Americans are reconsidering their alcohol consumption habits, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Liz Thach, Master of Wine and President of the Wine Market Council, said that wellness has become a key area of interest for the organization’s members. She pointed to several factors influencing consumer attitudes, including the popularity of weight-loss drugs like Ozempic, the emergence of THC-infused beverages, recent statements from the World Health Organization, new requirements for ingredient and nutrition labeling, and the growing market for no- and low-alcohol wines.

Christian Miller, Research Director at the council, explained that previous studies have shown generational differences in how people approach health and wellness issues. The new research aims to explore these differences in greater detail. It examines how consumers process news and social media trends related to health, their concerns about diet, and their perceptions of wine’s impact on both medical and personal well-being. The study also compares wine with other beverage categories such as cannabis drinks.

Rebecca Hopkins will join Thach and Miller as a guest speaker during the webinar. Hopkins is a wine marketing executive with more than 25 years of experience and is the founder of A Balanced Glass, an online community focused on supporting health among wine professionals. She has worked with major companies like Folio Fine Wine Partners and Constellation Brands. Thach said Hopkins will provide insights into the study’s findings and offer practical advice for wineries looking to adapt to changing consumer needs.

The research covers several topics: how consumers perceive health impacts across different alcoholic beverages; wine’s role in dietary, physical, and psychological wellness; experiences with non-alcoholic and low-alcohol options; preferences for label information about ingredients and production; use of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs; use of cannabis- and hemp-based drinks; awareness of major health news stories; and differences by gender, generation, ethnicity, and drinking frequency.

The Wine Market Council is a non-profit group founded in 1996 to advance the U.S. wine industry through market research. Its members include wineries, distributors, growers, importers, trade associations, and affiliates. Membership provides access to research reports, webinars, newsletters, data files, statistics, and an annual conference.

For more information about the study or details on joining the webinar, interested parties can contact the council directly or visit its website. Membership is open to organizations of all sizes at various rates.