Changes in the Social Meaning of Alcohol Consumption in Italy: A “Privileged” Look

Abstract

Explanations of the social mechanisms behind the consumption decline have been discussed and studied with several key informants who, for professional reasons occupied positions allowing them to observe the phenomenon under study: people from the world of alcoholic beverages production, representatives of the union of public facility operators, journalists, dieticians, and physicians. Our “specialist” interview panel members not only confirmed the conclusions that emerged from the individual interviews, but they also introduced partly or entirely new ideas. The experts confirmed that in Italy, wine often held a function of prestige for the younger age group (40–45 years old): wine consumption fell, while favouring more costly and prestigious products, and more attention was given to wine's quality. The attention given to quality was often a signal to others of the social class to which one belonged or aspired. Often it permitted the public to integrate new consumption styles with values established over time. The alimentary-hedonistic style seems compatible with the greater importance being given to health issues that emerged from the interviews with the consumers and key informants. Despite the belief of experts on alcohol that the attention given to alcoholic-related problems in Italy is insufficient, this research has revealed that the mass media, and general practitioners as well, have been paying increasing attention to citizens' overall health.