Winemakers’ sneaky plan to take on retailers

A local wine company is urging buyers to “vote with their feet” amid a new campaign targeting what it says is “misleading” conduct by retailers, as pressure grows on Coles and Woolworths.

Provocative billboards asking why “makers are squeezed more than the grapes” will placed outside Dan Murphy’s and other bottle shops from Monday as part of the campaign by Naked Wines.

Naked Wines has long campaigned for fair conditions and payment terms for makers, with Managing Director Paul Connell stating the campaign was a “clear message to retailers: do the right thing”.

“We’re taking a stand to highlight what ideal conditions for winemakers really means and, more importantly, to show what Australian consumers want,” Mr Connell said of the billboards.

“It’s not about squeezing the little guys dry. Aussie wine lovers deserve better, and they know it.”

It comes amid renewed scrutiny on the country’s top retailers, with the ACCC this week announcing it was taking Coles and Woolworths to court over allegations they mislead customers.

New data from Naked Wines’ Ideal Conditions YouGov report, set to be released on Monday, showed two-thirds of Australian wine drinkers wanted more transparency and fairness in the industry.

The report found a further 65 per cent would buy more wine if they knew it supported independent winemakers, while 63 per cent said they’d buy more is makers were “fairly compensated”.

“Right now, it’s alleged that retail giants are misleading Australian consumers while short-changing winemakers, and it’s not the first time this has been raised,” Mr Connell said.

“Nothing would leave a worse taste in the mouth than if you’ve paid too much for a wine that its maker was short-changed to produce. Now is the time for fairer conditions for all.”

The federal government has announced an impact analysis on the “oligopolistic nature” of wine retailing in Australia on independent winemakers and transparency in the industry.

With the result of the review set to be announced next year, Mr Connell said while Naked Wines to contributed to “potential solutions to creating a fairer market, immediate actions is needed”.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the Endeavour Group, which owns liquor retailer Dan Murphy’s, said they were “deeply committed to supporting Australian winemakers”.

“We offer them a selection of platforms to showcase their incredible talent to a broad customer base. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure fair and sustainable practices that benefit both producers and customers,” they said.

“Our longstanding partnerships with winemakers, both locally and globally, are built on mutual respect, transparency, and shared values of quality craftsmanship.

“Across Endeavour Group, we proudly work with more than 2000 trade suppliers through Dan Murphy’s, BWS and ALH Hotels. These partnerships are the cornerstone of our business, allowing us to consistently deliver exceptional wine and drinks to our customers while supporting the people behind the craft.”