Changed Wine Consumption, MZ Generation Moves... "Order via App and Have Just One Drink at Bars"

Rapid Increase in Wine Consumption Among MZ Generation
Shifting from 'Luxury' Perception to Popular Alcoholic Beverage
Accessibility Expansion through Smart Order Plays a Role
Industry Keeps Pace... Introducing Various Regional Wines One After Another

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] "Now it's a drink that's good to enjoy anytime, anywhere."

Choi Hyun-woong (28), who lives in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, has recently fallen for the taste of wine. As he started enjoying wine, he began to look for various wines mainly at drinking gatherings. However, it is not at grand places like upscale wine bars or restaurants. More often, he uses app orders to find wine bars selling glass wine or delicious wines, which have recently increased in number. Choi said, "After finishing the first round of drinks with a meal, it has become natural to have wine for the second round," adding, "Originally, I mainly sought wine on special occasions like anniversaries or year-end parties, but now it seems to be consumed frequently in daily life."

In the past, wine was considered a luxury exclusive to the upper class. Compared to soju, beer, and Makgeolli, which are representative of common people's drinks, wine was expensive and widely perceived as a premium drink consumed only at important social gatherings or parties. However, for the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z), wine is a familiar drink. This change has come about as accessibility to wine has improved both online and offline.

This trend accelerated further during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a survey by Shinhan Card Big Data Research Institute on the 26th, the number of wine purchases in the first half of last year increased by 63% at department stores and 181% at wine shops compared to the first half of 2019, before the spread of COVID-19. Among these, the number of wine shop visits by people in their 20s increased by 188%, and those in their 30s surged by 213%. For people in their 20s, not only the number of visits but also the amount spent per visit increased the most.

A customer browsing wine products at an Emart24 store. Photo by Emart24

In response to this situation, companies are continuously introducing trendy wines such as champagne and fruit wines that young people are likely to enjoy, along with premium wines. Wine subscription services and smart orders have also emerged as important pillars of wine consumption. Since the revision of the Liquor Tax Act in March 2020, a smart order system has become possible, allowing customers to pre-purchase liquor online and pick it up at a designated store, leading to a rapid increase in related platforms. This system is attracting attention from young consumers due to the advantage of easily purchasing good wines at relatively affordable prices. Although wine is considered one of the difficult alcoholic beverages to start with due to its variety and complex terminology, subscription services are preferred because they allow customers to taste various wines and find products that suit their palate.

Convenience stores, which were once perceived as mostly selling inexpensive wines, have become a common purchase channel among young people. The convenience store industry is also keeping pace with this trend. Emart24 introduced the industry's first liquor-specialized store and created a liquor specialty convenience store offering wines and whiskeys. CU and GS25 are also continuously introducing various wines from around the world, including premium wines and wines priced from hundreds of thousands to millions of won. To suit the characteristics of consumers purchasing at convenience stores, they are expanding small and large-sized products, reducing the volume to about half or increasing it to twice the typical 750ml wine bottle size. CU currently sells about 10 types of small-sized wines, and GS25 operates about 10 types each of small and large-sized wines.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.