Consumer Confidence
We report on consumer confidence trends and how they influence spending habits across the UK foodservice and hospitality sector. This features our coverage of economic sentiment, household budgets, discretionary spend patterns, and the wider behavioural shifts affecting restaurant, pub, café, and catering trade. Whether you’re planning pricing strategies, forecasting sales, or adjusting marketing efforts, our reporting links consumer psychology to trading outcomes, helping foodservice operators make informed commercial decisions in a changing economic environment.
-
Mar- 2022 -30 MarchFeatures
Sunak’s Spring Statement: What it means
“Businesses are going to be incredibly challenged to sustain themselves, having just begun some recovery after Covid,” reveals Lionel Benjamin, co-founder of AGO Hotels. The hospitality industry was already “decimated” by the Covid-19 pandemic and now, following Sunak’s announcement, the sector is being further burdened with VAT rates going back…
Read More » -
30 MarchPubs and Bars
Hospitality welcomes extended Platinum Jubilee licensing hours
The hospitality sector has welcomed the government’s confirmation that licenced premises will be able to extend their opening hours to 1am on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings of the special bank holiday weekend (2 to 5 June). UKHospitality applauded the temporary change in licensing rules for England and Wales,…
Read More » -
Feb- 2022 -15 FebruaryRestaurants
UK restaurant market to recover to 94% of 2019 value in 2022
The UK restaurant market is set to recover to 94% of its 2019 value in 2022, according to the new Lumina Intelligence UK Restaurant Market Report 2021/22. The report indicates that the UK restaurant market grew +25.9% or £2.3bn in 2021 to a total value of £11.2bn. Coronavirus restrictions in…
Read More » -
15 FebruaryPubs and Bars
Managed groups see sales recover in January
Rising consumer confidence about safety and the easing of restrictions have boosted sales across managed pub, bar, and restaurant groups in January, according to the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker. Total sales across these groups were 3% higher than pre-pandemic trading in January 2019, and represent a “solid recovery” from…
Read More » -
8 FebruaryPubs and Bars
Leeds ‘most vibrant’ UK city for hospitality, report finds
Leeds has been named the most vibrant city for eating and drinking out in the UK, with only a -0.2% drop in sales compared with the same period in 2019, ahead of Glasgow, Bristol and Birmingham, where restaurant, pub and bar sales held up relatively well in late December and…
Read More » -
4 FebruaryPubs and Bars
Drinks sales see ‘modest’ revival following end to Plan B
Out-of-home drinks sales welcomed a “modest revival” last week after Plan B restrictions were lifted across the UK, according to the CGA’s latest Drinks Recovery Tracker. It found that average drinks sales by value in Britain’s managed pubs, bars and restaurants in the week to 29 January were only 8%…
Read More » -
2 FebruaryFeatures
How to refine career progression within hospitality
Although hospitality may still be enduring some uncertainty, consumer confidence is on the rise. According to a recent study from the CGA, more than two thirds (70%) of the UK now feel optimistic about visiting pubs, bars and restaurants – over double that of those showing similar optimism at the…
Read More » -
Jan- 2022 -31 JanuaryFood and Drink
Marston’s sales dampened by Omicron
Marston’s PLC has reported a 3.9% fall in total like-for-like sales for the 16-weeks ending 22 January 2022, compared to the same period in 2019. The group said this reflects the impact of the Omicron variant and consumer sentiment related to the variant in the last eight weeks. Total sales…
Read More » -
28 JanuaryPubs and Bars
BBPA calls for heightened gov support after ‘devastating’ winter
While publicans and brewers have “raised their glasses” following the end of Plan B restrictions this week, the BBPA is still calling for more government support as the “devastating” impact of Omicron over winter has become clear. The BBPA is urging the government to help combat the increasing financial pressures…
Read More » -
21 JanuaryRestaurants
Restaurant Group upgrades FY21 outlook despite Omicron
The Restaurant Group has announced that despite the impact of Omicron in December, it has upgraded its FY21 expectations following a market “outperformance”, and now expects its EBITDA to be at the top end of its previous guidance of £73m – £79m. In addition, FY21 year-end net debt is now…
Read More »
