First Cape is hoping to steal a greater share of Britain’s grey pound with a new campaign pitched at older wine drinkers.

The company, which added First Cape Light - a range of 5.5% abv wines - alongside its lighter portfolio of Café Collection wines in March, said there was increased interest in lighter-abv wines from drinkers aged 55-plus.

It polled 850 wine consumers online and found 20% were 55 or older and felt positively about lighter-abv wines.

“Daytime consumption is beginning to replace night-time drinking with older consumers,” said sales director Steve Barton, noting a trend for Saturday lunchtime drinking. “Of those polled aged above 55, 65% were male and are beginning to engage with lighter-abv wines.”

While calorie-conscious women are still a key market for lower-abv wines, the company is looking to raise awareness among older drinkers with marketing through magazines such as Saga and in-store activity. Its marketing to younger consumers will continue to focus on online and social media.

Meanwhile, the UK lighter wine market - estimated to be worth more than £38m [Nielsen August 2012] - is set to get a further boost following the launch of a new WeightWatchers-endorsed wine range.

PLB Group will exclusively distribute a portfolio of McWilliam’s Harmony and Essenze lower-alcohol wines from Australia and New Zealand from next month. The range comprises Harmony Sparkling Brut NV (6% abv rsp: £9.99) Harmony Semillon Sauvignon Blanc (8% abv rsp: £8.99) and Shiraz (9% abv rsp: £8.99) and Essenze Vine Dancer Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc (10% abv rsp: £9.99).

Peel-off Weight-Watchers stickers communicate the ProPoints value of a single serve.

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