Breaking tradition: Are Italian wineries willing to produce dealcoholized wines?

Purpose This study aims to analyze the propensity of Italian winemakers to produce dealcoholized wines and to identify the factors that influence their intention to adopt this new process. Design/methodology/approach A questionnaire was administered to 177 Italian winemakers to collect data on structural and production variables, as well as items measuring constructs from the expanded unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze the data by using the seminR package in R. Findings The primary factor affecting the intention to adopt a dealcoholization process is performance expectancy, which, in turn, is largely influenced by awareness of market opportunities and social influence, namely the beliefs of experts, oenologists and winery consultants. Social influence also directly affects intention. Effort expectancy is relevant, too. It is affected by winery size, the feasibility of testing the dealcoholizing process at a small scale or with low investment, and the compatibility of the new process with existing production. Originality/value Since the introduction in Italy of legislation allowing for the partial or complete reduction of the alcohol content of wine, this study is the first to investigate Italian wineries' willingness to adopt these new processes. It provides valuable insights into the factors influencing the adoption of dealcoholization processes in Italy. It helps identify the main levers to act on to support the firm's adaptation to new market trends.