19 Sep 2024
Groups report 1.3% like-for-like sales growth in August
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Britain's leading pub, bar and restaurant groups achieved like-for-like sales growth of in August.
Groups have now achieved like-for-like increases in every month of 2024 except April. However, it is a second successive month of below-inflation growth, and the Tracker has topped 4% only once since the start of the year. Total sales growth in August, including new venues opened during the last 12 months, stood at 3.7%.
The Tracker—produced by CGA by NIQ—shows managed pubs outperformed the sector as a whole in August, with like-for-like growth of 2.9% despite disappointing weather. Restaurants recorded a 0.8% increase, but bars continued a long run of negative numbers with a drop of 9.0%. The on-the-go segment achieved 5.0% growth.
Sales rose by 1.2% inside the M25 in August, while venues further afield fractionally outperformed with 1.4% growth. It is only the second time this year that the capital has recorded weaker figures than the rest of the country.
Karl Chessell, director - hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “August’s figures complete a modest summer for hospitality groups, and with the weather and consumers’ confidence both underwhelming, real-terms growth has been elusive. While some bars and restaurants have found it hard to sustain footfall, the picture has been brighter at pubs, especially given the impact of the cool temperatures on beer gardens and terraces. Consumers remain eager to eat and drink out when they can, but operators will be hoping they will feel confident enough to spend more freely as we move towards the crucial final quarter of 2024.”
The Tracker—produced by CGA by NIQ—shows managed pubs outperformed the sector as a whole in August, with like-for-like growth of 2.9% despite disappointing weather. Restaurants recorded a 0.8% increase, but bars continued a long run of negative numbers with a drop of 9.0%. The on-the-go segment achieved 5.0% growth.
Sales rose by 1.2% inside the M25 in August, while venues further afield fractionally outperformed with 1.4% growth. It is only the second time this year that the capital has recorded weaker figures than the rest of the country.
Karl Chessell, director - hospitality operators and food, EMEA at CGA by NIQ, said: “August’s figures complete a modest summer for hospitality groups, and with the weather and consumers’ confidence both underwhelming, real-terms growth has been elusive. While some bars and restaurants have found it hard to sustain footfall, the picture has been brighter at pubs, especially given the impact of the cool temperatures on beer gardens and terraces. Consumers remain eager to eat and drink out when they can, but operators will be hoping they will feel confident enough to spend more freely as we move towards the crucial final quarter of 2024.”
