Online wine purchases during the Coronavirus lockdown - average price drops, volumes double

Due to this prolonged emergency, Italians have found that they are changing not only their social habits but also their drinking and eating habits. They are relying more and more on online platforms for their purchases. TANNICO, leader company in online wine sales, has revealed that wine sales in the last three weeks of March alone, registered 100% increase in volume, 10% rise in frequent purchases and 5% in quantity of bottles of wine placed per order. The types of bottles purchased have also changed and on the whole have registered 10% reduction on the average price per bottle. Consumption of sparkling wines and Champagne has dropped (-30%) and so have the Super Premium denominations (Barolo -70%, Brunello - 70%, Champagne -50%, Bolgheri -25%). On the other hand, purchases of denominations with more moderate prices are growing (Sicily white wines + 100%, Venezia Giulia white wines + 100%, Sicily red wines + 50%, Chianti Classico +30%, Barbera 15%). Furthermore, white wines in general have increased (+ 20% in the regions most affected by the virus, +25% in the others). Non-denomination red wines have not showed any variation in price.
“There is a very big change taking place in the habits of the consumers and their purchases, commented Marco Magnocavallo, CEO of TANNICO, “as they are preferring wines at a lower average price, and, at the same time, increasing how often they purchase wines. It is also quite interesting to note that the purchase of spirits has registered +20% - a definite sign that Italians are also switching to drinking cocktails at home”. The changes, volume-wise, however, have not been uniform in all the Italian regions. TANNICO has revealed a spectacular upsurge in its sales, particularly in the areas most affected by the virus (Lombardy +100%, Piedmont +90%, Emilia +85%, Veneto +82%) versus a much smaller increase in volumes in the regions that have not been hit as hard (Sicily + 40%, Puglia + 30%, Calabria + 20%, Sardinia + 10%).
The BEINTOO Location Intelligence platform has revealed quite remarkable patterns by crossing sales data with mobility data on the national territory. The data show different responses of the Italian provinces to the call for #iorestoacasa (I’m staying home). Increases in sales volumes related to the actual decrease in mobility for each province. In the various Italian regions and provinces, the forced quarantine has been followed by an increase in sales volumes, a trend that has proved to be particularly relevant in the Northeastern regions. The substantial growth of online demand for wines suggests that Italians are now getting much more interested in wine, considering it one of the basic necessities that must not be missing at home, to be included with everything that they have always habitually purchased, whether or not there is a state of emergency.
Customers are buying more and more often. The number of bottles bought as well as choosing, on the average, less expensive bottles of wine, highlights their intentions to stock up. This way, they will always have a good bottle of wine on the table to keep them company and lower the anguish the entire nation has been experiencing in the last several very difficult weeks. And, it is precisely in this spirit of mind that TANNICO has been working on various fronts, socially as well as entertainment, to help the population in a stimulating way. The company has been carrying out many parallel initiatives, such as donating 1 euro for each bottle purchased from a special selection of wines in collaboration with wineries TANNICO has chosen. In just two weeks, the initiative that has already raised and donated 13.000 euros to the Fatebenefratelli Sacco Hospital in Milan. Plus, there are many live streams on the TANNICO Instagram account, that followers and drinkers can interact with from home while uncorking and sharing their choices of wine; wine learning tips to learn more about wine from the comfort of your sofa and answers to all sorts of questions and doubts, all under the hashtag #iobevoacasa.