Working Paper: NBER ID: w11228
Authors: Joshua Aizenman; Eileen L. Brooks
Abstract: This paper investigates changes in cultural consumption patterns for a low concentration industry: wine and beer. Using data on 38 countries from 1963-2000, there is clear convergence in the consumption of wine relative to beer between 1963 and 2000. Convergence occurs even more quickly within groups of countries that have a higher degree of integration. A key prediction of international trade is confirmed in the data: greater trade integration weakens the association between production and consumption patterns -- although the relative consumption of wine can be explained well in 1963 by grape production and latitude, these variables are much less significant in 2000. Despite these "scientific" explanations for the consumption of wine, there is also a cultural angle to wine consumption. While the relative wine consumption of France and Germany is converging, several Latin American countries fail to converge. The patterns of convergence are consistent with dynamics of adjustment in an overlapping generation habit formation model.
Keywords: globalization; taste convergence; wine; beer; cultural consumption
JEL Codes: F13; F15
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| greater trade integration (F15) | weaker association between production and consumption patterns (F61) |
| grape production (L66) | wine consumption (L66) |
| latitude (Y91) | wine consumption (L66) |
| cultural factors and globalization (F60) | altered consumption dynamics (E21) |
| convergence of wine consumption between France and Germany (L66) | France's relative wine consumption decreasing and Germany's increasing (L66) |
| past consumption patterns (D12) | current preferences (D11) |
| habit formation (children's habits shaped by parents) (J13) | influence on current consumption habits (D12) |