Sustainable Wine—for Whom? Consumer Preferences for Different Environmental Labels

As sustainability concerns increasingly influence agri-food systems, eco-labels have become an important tool for signalling environmental responsibility to consumers. However, the effectiveness of such labels depends on how they are perceived and valued in specific product contexts. This study investigates consumer preferences for four environmental labels in the wine sector: organic, carbon neutral, reduced water footprint, and reduced pesticide use. A discrete choice experiment conducted with 300 Italian wine consumers, combined with latent class analysis, revealed four distinct segments with heterogeneous responses to eco-labels. While one group rejected environmental labels altogether, others displayed selective interest based on the perceived relevance of the label to specific concerns such as health or resource conservation. These findings underline the need for differentiated communication strategies that account for cultural meanings, individual priorities, and varying degrees of involvement with different dimensions of environmental sustainability. In a category as culturally embedded as wine—where tradition, identity, and quality perceptions play a central role—tailored messaging becomes especially crucial to ensure that sustainability labels are understood, trusted, and valued.