There has been a steady growth of eco-friendly wine sales over the past decade in the U.S. market. Yet even as more and more people are sampling and switching to wines that include certified sustainable, organic, biodynamic, regenerative and lightweight, we know very little about what’s driving this consumer trend. There have been virtually no studies that have deeply analysed which aspects of eco-friendly wines are most important to consumers, and how the industry should market them.
With this in mind, Wine Market Council (WMC), a non-profit wine consumer research firm headquartered in Napa Valley, CA, designed a comprehensive nationwide study to explore the motivations and behaviours of U.S. wine drinkers. They worked with research partner, Wine Opinions, to gather the survey data.
This resulted in a total of 1,509 U.S. wine drinkers surveyed, evenly distributed across the age spectrum, with a modest female skew (55%). Nearly 2/3 of the sample public say they drink wine at least once a week, the rest of the sample ranged from several times a month to several times a year.
Variety and Awareness
After analysing the data, several important findings became apparent regarding differences in consumer perceptions and usage of eco-friendly products . These included:
- consumers have a wide variety of motivations for purchasing these types of wines;
- awareness of and understanding is fairly high for leading eco-friendly certifications, low for others;
- evidence emerged of price premiums they were willing to pay, and
- limited awareness and understanding of the role of packaging, such as cans, boxes, and light weight bottles.
Here’s a closer look at these four key factors.
Different Motivations for Purchasing Eco-Friendly Wines
“While younger consumers tend to prioritise personal health, older and more frequent wine buyers are primarily driven by environmental concerns,” noted Dr. Liz Thach, MW, President of the Wine Market Council. “But across all segments, the leading motivation is the same: a desire to support the growers and winemakers behind eco-friendly wines.”
The table below shows the percent of respondents who agreed with a series of given reasons to purchase eco-friendly wines.
Why do you purchase sustainably produced, organic or organic grape wines?
- 66 % : Want to support farmers/wineries that produce such wines
- 53 % : These wines are better for the earth/environment
- 36 % : These wines are better for me and my family
- 27 % : I’m making a statement about my values
- 26 % : These wines taste better than conventional wines
- 23 % : I’m influencing society or economy by purchasing these wines
- 11 % : Other
Two consumer segments showed significant variance from the overall results:
● Infrequent wine drinkers were less likely to cite social reasons such as supporting wineries or concern for the environment, particularly if aged under 40 (-10%).
● Consumers under 40 were significantly more likely to cite “better for me” & “taste better” (both 41%) as reasons for purchase
Understanding the Language of Sustainability
Despite rising interest in sustainable wines, terminology remains a barrier. While terms like “organic grapes” (73%) and “organic wine” (63%) are widely understood, only 25% of consumers reported familiarity with “regenerative,” and fewer than half were clear on “biodynamic” (36%) or “natural wine” (41%).
“The good news,” explained Christian Miller, Research Director at WMC. “is that a significant portion of consumers who are unfamiliar with or haven’t tried these wines—up to 58% depending on certification—were interested in trying or buying them. But clearer labelling and promotion are key to converting interest into purchase. The leading reason among those who had not tried them was they rarely or never notice them in the market.”
The takeaway: wineries and retailers must prioritise accessible, intuitive language and visible certifications—both on shelf and online.
Transparency at the Table: What Consumers Want on the Label
Labeling has emerged as a pivotal point of consumer engagement. When asked what information on a label could “influence their purchases” of food or wine, respondents consistently ranked “no artificial ingredients,” “natural ingredients,” and “recyclable or biodegradable packaging” among their top priorities.
Type of Label Information
- No artificial ingredients 70 % for wine (87 % for food)
- Natural ingredients 65 % for wine (89 % for food)
- Recyclable or biodegradable packaging 63 % for wine (89 % for food)
While ingredient transparency remains a sensitive issue in the wine industry, this data indicates a growing consumer appetite for clarity—especially among the health- and planet-minded younger demographic. Notably, even for wine 45% of consumers also expressed interest in sugar content, 38% in calorie information, and 37% in carbohydrate levels.
Eco-Wine Purchasing Trends: Generational Divide, Premium Potential
Currently, 35% of U.S. consumers surveyed report regularly or occasionally buying sustainably produced wines, while 41% do the same for wines made with organic grapes. However, only a minority of these consumers buy most of their wine in sustainably produced or organic grape form. Awareness and availability remain hurdles for biodynamic and regenerative wines, which saw lower purchase rates.
Younger consumers (ages 21–39) lead the way in natural wine purchases, with 35% reporting a purchase — compared to just 13% of Baby Boomers.
WMC’s pricing experiment revealed further opportunity: consumers are willing to pay a significant premium for wines with sustainable credentials. Participants were given a hypothetical purchase situation for a wine of their preferred variety, with all attributes held the same except the production method. Except for the high and low points of the pricing scale, purchase interest was consistently higher at any given price for the sustainably produced wine over the control (conventional) version, viewing them as offering enhanced value.
Packaging and the Carbon Conversation
With 46% of consumers identifying packaging as a key contributor to environmental impact, this often-overlooked detail presents a meaningful opportunity for differentiation. But here too, some education is needed; 36% are unsure of its impact, 16% are sceptical and 23% believe recyclability is the main impact. However, after being exposed to a couple of sentences on the energy/carbon impact and environmental benefits of lightweight packaging, purchase interest was quite high for the following packages:
- 76% would likely purchase wines in lightweight bottles (4 or 5 on a 5-point scale)*
- 43% would likely purchase boxed wine
- 35% would likely purchase wine in cans
This includes many consumers who were initially uncertain about packaging’s role—a majority of those who were uncertain as to packaging’s impact and over 1/3 of those who were skeptical.—clearly suggesting that education and storytelling around packaging can shift consumer behaviour in measurable ways.
Strategic Implications for the Global Wine Sector
The WMC’s latest study offers clear messages to producers and brand owners. There’s an urgent need for clear, transparent labeling, promotion and merchandising to enable consumers to identify and find eco-friendly wines and be exposed to their benefits. It is also important to remember that consumers have different motivations for purchasing these wines, and marketing strategies should be adapted to meet these different needs.
For global brands looking to expand or strengthen their presence in the U.S. market, adapting to consumer preferences will be essential for relevance and growth in the decade ahead.
About the Authors
President of Wine Market Council Dr. Liz Thach, MW has worked in the wine industry since 2000 as a wine business professor, award-winning writer and consultant.
Director of Research for Wine Market Council Christian Miller has worked in the wine business for over 20 years, including brand management, market and economic research for large and small wine brands and regional organisations.
The Wine Market Council is a non-profit organisation that aims to be the leader in forward-looking market research on the U.S. wine consumer purchasing habits, attitudes and trends. All funding is generated by membership, with 80% of funds going directly to research studies and dissemination.
Each year, WMC conducts three to four major studies, with the topics — such as sustainability, wine pricing and packaging — selected by members — representing the full spectrum of the wine industry — and based on current needs within the industry. Members use the data to assist them in shaping effective brand and marketing strategies.
