A fascinating new study from the Nielsen Co. dissects the ways in which Americans are changing their drinking habits in the face of a lackluster economy. A recent survey of 5,000 adult drinkers shows that folks are looking for bargains when they buy alcohol. Will the new frugality have long-lasting consequences?

“While alcohol beverages are sometimes thought to be ‘recession proof’, we’re seeing significant evidence of changes in consumers’ dining and buying habits,” Danny Brager, Nielsen’s front man for beverage alcohol studies, said in a statement. “Consumers are clearly focused on value and in many cases, altering their shopping behavior in order to get the most for their money. It remains to be seen if these changes are temporary or exactly how long the ‘economic hangover’ will last once we come out of recession.”

When it comes to stretching their alcoholic beverage dollar, buyers of beer, wine and spirits reported several bargain-hunting strategies. About 50 percent said they are actively seeking out the best deals by comparing shelf prices, waiting for a sale and taking advantage of other special offers. (Interestingly, about half of the shoppers are not changing the way they shop for alcohol.)

A considerable number of consumers are also changing their behavior when out at restaurants, bars or nightclubs. “Trading down” is more prevalent among wine consumers, with 24 percent of wine consumers choosing less expensive drinks while a fairly equal number (about one-third) of beer, wine and spirits consumers order fewer drinks.

“The on-premise or ‘going out to drink’ environment is a very, very difficult one right now,” said Brager. “Consumers are looking for ways to cut back their spending, including ordering draft beer instead of bottles, shifting from wine by the bottle to the glass and from calling for a specific brand name of liquor to letting the house decide.”

What about the future? When asked about spending plans when the economy improves, the majority of consumers say they are not willing to revert back to their former spending habits. Spending on alcoholic beverages is expected to be more restrained, especially at bars, restaurants and clubs.

Here’s a statistic sure to displease alcohol companies: More than 75 percent of consumers say they are not planning to change their spending habits when the recession lifts. When economic conditions do improve, approximately 24 percent of respondents said they would increase spending on wine, 21 percent say they would increase spending on spirits and 18 percent say that they would increase spending on beer.

That leaves a lot of people who are not planning to boost their spending on alcohol, even if things start looking better.  Nielsen urged alcoholic beverage manufacturers and retailers to “focus on value” and provide products in a range of price categories to appeal to financially strapped consumers.