BYOB as a risk-reduction strategy (RRS) for wine consumers in the Australian on-premise foodservice sector: exploratory insights

Abstract

This baseline exploratory study investigated the main drivers of perceived risk of wine consumers in the Australian restaurant environment and the effectiveness of bring-your-own-bottle (BYOB) of wine as a risk-reduction strategy (RRS). The BYOB ‘culture’ is well-established with 22% of respondents reporting they engaged in BYOB the last time they dined out. The main drivers of risk were: ordering a wine that complements the meal (functional); ordering a wine that suits the occasion (functional); choosing wines that will please the dining group (social); fear of being caught driving while intoxicated (physical); and the reputation of the restaurant (functional). Functional risk was by far the most significant risk type, followed by physical and social risk. The risk measurement scale returned a Cronbach alpha of 0.69 indicating the model had acceptable reliability for an exploratory study. In testing the relationship between risk types and using BYOB as a RRS significant correlations exist between functional risk and engaging in BYOB when celebrating a special occasion (H₂); social risk to bring wines that please the dining group (H3); financial risk to combat high prices on wine lists (H₄); and time risk to avoid the inconvenience and time spent on selecting, ordering and waiting for a wine to be fetched and opened (H₅). These findings suggest that BYOB should be recognised as a RRS in its own right.