ABSTRACT:
Wine consumption amongst younger generations is shifting towards occasion-based and selective patterns, positioning labels as critical communicative interfaces where quality, meaning, and trust are negotiated. This study examines how Generation Y and Z consumers interpret wine label attributes and how these perceptions define distinct consumer segments, specifically focusing on digital communication preferences and information trust. Data from an online survey of 364 young Slovak wine consumers were analysed using factor analysis and K-means clustering. The findings identify three approaches to wine label evaluation: information-oriented, narrative-oriented, and visually oriented. These interpretations are manifested in three distinct segments: narrative-driven traditionalists, quality-conscious wine seekers, and visually-oriented occasion drinkers. Each segment exhibits unique consumption habits, engagement levels with social media formats, and varying trust in information sources. The study contributes to communication research by conceptualising wine labels as meaning-making interfaces and shows how label designs and communication tactics might better reach younger wine consumers.
KEY WORDS:
communication, label, segmentation, social media, trust, wine
DOI: https://doi.org/10.34135/communicationtoday.2026.Vol.17.No.1.9