Delivery and takeaway sales at Britain’s top managed restaurant groups in March were 3.0% below the same month in 2022, the new Hospitality at Home Tracker from CGA by NIQ reveals. It means that year-on-year sales have now fallen for 16 months in a row. After booming during COVID-19 lockdowns, the market has steadily softened as some consumers revert to eating out and others reduce their spending in light of steep rises in household bills. After adjustments for inflation, the value of sales has fallen significantly further in real terms. The Tracker also indicates an even sharper drop in the volume of orders—a sign that groups are depending on menu price rises to stem year-on-year losses. Groups saw a 9.6% dip in their number of delivery orders compared to March 2022, and a 12.7% contraction in takeaway and click-and-collect orders. Sales nevertheless remain well above pre-COVID levels, and accounted for 14.9 pence in every pound spent with the managed restaurant groups contributing to the Hospitality at Home Tracker in March. Karl Chessell, CGA’s business unit director - hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said, “Sixteen months of year-on-year decline in delivery and takeaway sales have shown how the cost of living crisis has impacted consumers’ discretionary spending. 'More positively, it’s an indication that some consumers have switched back from ordering in to going out, and our Coffer CGA Business Tracker has shown modest increases in in-venue sales this year. 'However, sales in both channels remain well down year-on-year in real terms, and with little respite on inflation in sight trading conditions will remain very challenging for some time to come.” (source: CGA, image: pexels)