(Just-Drinks) - US wine consumers are continuing to trade down to wine-by-the-glass in the on-trade, but paying more for servings, latest figures show. 

Wine-by-the glass sales accounted for 61% of the category's US on-trade sales in this year's first quarter, Guestmetrics reported today (15 May). In 2011, wine-by-the-glass accounted for 56% of wine sales and increased to 59% in 2012. 

Guestmetrics attributed the shift to the effect of the wider economic situation on consumers. 

However, the average price paid for wine-by-the-glass rose 3% in the first three months of the year. 

Consumers are also trading up when buying wine-by-the-bottle, with the average price paid up nearly 9% in Q1, Guestmetrics said.