Britain’s managed restaurant, pub, and bar groups overcame widespread challenges to record a ninth successive month of year-on-year sales growth in June, the new Coffer CGA Business Tracker shows.
The Tracker, produced by CGA by NIQ in partnership with The Coffer Group and RSM UK, reveals total like-for-like sales increased by 6.7% in June. The hot weather brought consumers out to drink in pubs — especially those with beer gardens and terraces — and sales in this segment were up by 10.8% on June 2022.
However, some of this growth came at the expense of restaurants, where sales finished 3.2% ahead year on year. The bars segment completed a difficult first half of 2023 with an 8.4% drop in sales. Combined sales growth remains just below the level of inflation, though the gap between the two has closed over the first half of this year.
Growth was even across the country in June, the Tracker indicates. Managed groups’ like-for-like sales growth within the M25 was 8.1% as London continued its post-Covid recovery — just ahead of the level of 6.7% beyond the M25.
“These numbers highlight the impressive resilience of managed hospitality groups, despite rising costs for businesses and consumers,” said Karl Chessell, director hospitality operators and food, EMEA, at CGA by NIQ.
“People remain eager to visit pubs, bars, and restaurants when they can, especially during warm weather, and pub operators and suppliers will hope for more high temperatures as the summer holiday season begins, though it’s important to remember that sunshine isn’t so positive for indoor-only restaurants.
“More interest rate rises may dampen consumers’ confidence and cost pressures remain for operators, but the long-term outlook for the sector remains good.”
