Bargain Booze is to sell wines by flavour rather than origin in a revamp of wine fixtures across its entire estate.

A brief description of the wine’s style - such as ‘smooth and succulent’ and ‘zesty and aromatic’ - will be displayed above shelf units, with similar varietals and wines placed side by side regardless of country of origin. The descriptions will be supplemented with colour-coded PoS providing more detailed information.

The new merchandising strategy better reflected changing buying habits and would make it easier for consumers to choose wines they liked, said Conviviality Retail, owner of the franchised off-licence chain. Merchandising similar styles together allowed the customer to explore wines with less risk of not enjoying their purchase, it said.

Conviviality had trialled the concept at its store in Sandbach, Cheshire, last year after feedback from franchisees and consumers showed Bargain Booze shoppers were more influenced by flavour and style than country.

New-look fixtures are now starting to roll out across the 419-strong Bargain Booze and Bargain Booze Plus estate. Conviviality said that once customers had been introduced to the new way to shop the fixture they “invariably” preferred it.

“Merchandising the wine fixture by flavour gives consumers more confidence to try new wines,” said Conviviality Retail’s consultant Susan McCraith MW. “This is evidenced by the huge popularity of brands such as Copestick Murray’s ‘I Heart…’, which promote the flavour of the wine rather than its origin and are able to change the source of its wines without affecting sales.”

The drinks retailer, which also owns 22 Wine Racks, said it had been working to break down some of the perceptions around wine buying and give customers inspiration and confidence to try new wines.

Last year Morrisons trialled merchandising its Bradford store wine fixture according to its interactive Taste Test, which divides palates into four main types to suggest wines suitable for each.

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