ATLANTA -- A new survey by the Unilever Company says consumers, hard hit by the economy, have already cut back on their total number of grocery shopping trips. In 2001 consumers went to the grocery store an average of 181 times. In 2007 the number of trips dropped to 164.

If the economy worsens, consumers told Unilever it will continue to buy canned vegetables, fresh meat and seafood as well as margarine. But they plan to cut back on cookies, beer, wine and frozen dinners. 11% of the people who responded say they'll cut back on carbonated soft drinks.

But some consumers plan to remain loyal to their favorite brands. More than 91% of consumers surveyed say they won't be willing to buy private label beer and wine or private label meat or seafood even if the economy worsens. 86% say they won't try private label frozen meals or carbonated soft drinks.

Unilever says the resilience of branded alcohol and frozen meals may suggest that consumers would prefer to forgo these products entirely rather than trade to private label products.