Short communication. Exploring new functional markets potential: factors affecting willingness to purchase functional wines

Abstract

Concern regarding the relationship between diet and health is growing among consumers. As an answer to this concern, the food industry has developed functional foods, a market with an increasing demand both in volume and expenditure. New functional products are being developed for which market potential must be investigated. This paper centres on one of this products, a wine with increased levels of resveratrol, a natural compound which has been found to be positively related to the reduction in the risk of inflammatory diseases. The market potential of this new product is assessed using a survey of wine consumers in the city of Granada (Spain). Consumers are asked for the probability of purchasing this new wine in order to identify "potential consumers" and factors influencing belonging to this category are identified. A significant proportion of the sample is found to belong to the "potential consumers" category with cognitive, affective and situational variables as the main factors affecting inclusion within this category.