Sydney - The spectre of recession has Australians drinking more but spending less on alcohol, a market research firm said Wednesday.

A survey of 1,300 liquor outlets by the Bailey Group found more alcohol being sold but the average purchase price declining.

The explanation for the conundrum is that drinkers are shifting downmarket.

Mike MacAvoy, chief executive of lobby group Drinkwise, said drinkers were adjusting to their budgets.

"Alcohol is so entwined with our culture that it would take an enormous shift to change the way we drink at the moment," he told Australian news agency AAP. "When times are tight in an economic downturn people turn to the nearest available thing to ease their pain, and that's often alcohol." (dpa)