Screwcaps are now a mainstream' closure

Published: 23 July, 2008

Screwcap closures are now considered part of mainstream wine packaging, according to new research from Wine Intelligence.

A survey of 1,000 regular wine drinkers in the UK in October revealed that three-quarters of them find screwcap closures acceptable', compared with 64% in 2004 and just 41% in 2003. Wine Intelligence is releasing the report in January. Titled Closures: The UK Consumer View 2007, it aims to show how UK consumer trends regarding closures have changed over the past three years. The study also will look at people's attitude to closures in detail, and how these vary depending on price point, wine style and occasion.

Despite increased acceptance for screwcaps, the way cork and synthetic closures are percevied has not worsened. Nearly all consumers find natural cork an acceptable closure, a view virtually unchanged from three years ago.

Richard Halstead, operations director of Wine Intelligence, said: Familiarity has bred acceptance of screwcaps among British consumers, but it has taken a concerted effort on the part of retailers and major brand owners to get this far. As a trade, we have generally bought into the idea that screwcaps are a more technically reliable seal. For consumers, the idea of wine not being "uncorked", with all the ceremony that goes with it, is still a bit disconcerting.

I suspect that screwcapped wine will not feature strongly at the typical Christmas dinner this year, but when it does, it will still provoke strong reactions.'

Printer friendly version