British pubs are missing out on a potential US$2.3 billion in wine sales, says a research commissioned by Constellation Europe.

The wine giant had asked analysts Wine Intelligence to research why UK consumers bought - or stayed away from - wine in a pub. Wine Intelligence interviewed over 700 drinkers and found that pub operators could increase the number of people who drank wine by up to 41%.

Constellation Europe's on-trade customer marketing controller Norrie Donaldson called the results a "wake-up call" for wine producers and pub owners. "The difference between home versus pub consumption for wine is huge compared with other alcohol categories such as beer, spirits, cider and ready-to-drink where the differential is marginal," Donaldson said earlier this week.

Constellation said the study had identified four groups of consumers who bought wine in pubs - the "bargain hunter", the "sociable drinker", the "high roller" and the "by-the-glass occasionals".

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