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.

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Despite the Nation’s long-standing love of English Breakfast tea, new research reveals ahead of National Tea Day on 21 April, that Brits are moving away from tradition with over half (55%) opting for a herbal like green tea or Rooibos, or other leaf-based teas like Earl Grey, as their preferred choice of blend. The findings, based on 2086 consumers, come just three weeks before the King’s Coronation and marks a shift away from the Traditional English Breakfast tea which has always been widely regarded as the UK’s hot favourite, accounting for 85% of sales in 2019 according to a Unilever report. This year’s research into Brits’ tea drinking habits by global tea specialists, The Tea Group.

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Breakfast pizzas are to become a fixture of restaurant menus according to one of the UK’s leading ingredient manufacturers supplying the hospitality sector. Macphie Ltd has observed that a breakfast version of the flatbread staple is now being served as an alternative to classics such as eggs benedict, avocado toast and bacon rolls - and now features on 2.9% of restaurant menus, a number that is predicted to soar to 15% in the next four years. The £60m brand, which supplies many of the biggest names in the restaurant business has seen demand for its range of cheese sauces and sweet toppings grow significantly. Its Aberdeenshire-based development chefs have been swift to respond, providing clients with inspiration courtesy of a range of breakfast pizza recipe suggestions.

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A new opinion poll by the UK’s mindful drinking movement, Club Soda, has revealed fresh insight into the nation’s drinking habits and attitudes to alcohol-free drinks. 2,000 UK adults were surveyed by Opinium on behalf of Club Soda. Their answers revealed: o Whilst 1 in 5 (19%) respondents said they never drink alcohol, half (52%) said they drink alcohol at least once a week, with more than one in ten (12%) drinking four or more times a week. Men drink alcohol more often than women (62% against 41% at least once a week). o Of those who did drink alcohol-free drinks, 72% said reducing their alcohol consumption in some way was the principal reason. Other common reasons given for drinking alcohol-free drinks were “to enjoy the taste of an alcoholic drink without getting drunk” (33%).

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CACI, the consumer and location intelligence specialist, has revealed a significant trend towards lower price point hospitality venues performing well, in the midst of consumer cost pressures. These findings come from CACI’s latest data platform, Brand Dimensions, which tracks spending across 300 of the best-known brands in the UK. CACI has found that in 12 months, the vast majority (83%) of QSR abd fast casual brands with a sub £15 average transaction value (ATV) – including the likes of Pret a Manger, Greggs, Tortilla, Chopstix, and Itsu – saw strong market growth. This compares with sales growth for only 29% of operators with an ATV of £30 or more. In addition, brands with a clear campaign have also performed well.

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Delivery and takeaway sales at Britain’s top managed restaurant groups fell year-on-year for the 16th month in a row in February, the new Hospitality at Home Tracker from CGA by NIQ reveals. Combined sales were 5.9% behind February 2022, as some consumers reduced their spending and others opted to eat out rather than order in. The 9.9% drop in the value of deliveries was steeper than the 7.6% decline in takeaway and click and collect sales. The volume of delivery orders fell even more sharply, by 13.3%—a reflection of consumers reducing the frequency of their orders but spending more on them because of rising prices. Despite the extended decline, delivery and takeaway sales are still well ahead of levels seen before the start of the pandemic.

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The latest ONS Labour Market figures have shown there were 3.12m jobs in retail in Q4 2022, down 14,000 year-on-year. Helen Dickinson, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said, “Low consumer confidence and falling sales volumes meant many retailers were more cautious in hiring additional workers in the run up to Christmas. 'This was compounded by the need to keep operational costs – and therefore prices - down during the cost of living squeeze. 'This has contributed to the lowest 4Q average retail jobs numbers in over a decade. Not all retail roles have been affected, as ongoing digital transformation has led to the creation of many new well-paid and exciting jobs. “However.

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Pub and bar operators took advantage of the festive season to offer customers a taste of indulgence, with burgers and chicken dishes emerging as the most popular main courses. According to the latest data from Lumina Intelligence's Menu Tracker, 21% of main course orders on pub and bar menus were burgers, showing a growing share compared to Q3 2022. Starters such as wings, nuggets, and tenders also saw increased share, while chips remained the most popular side dish. The recent World Cup created opportunities for operators to target consumers through promotions on pub favourites as increased consumers visited pubs to enjoy the games. 57% of new dishes introduced by pub and bar operators were main courses.

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Data from Lumina Intelligence's Menu Tracker shows that burgers have made significant strides in becoming a staple main course dish on restaurant menus. With a 13% share of main course dishes, burgers now hold the third spot and have grown their share versus Q3 2022. This growth can be attributed to restaurant operators anticipating customers' desires for indulgence during the festive season. Despite this, pizza still dominates the main course scene, holding a 19% share on restaurant menus. Most operators offer a variety of pizza options, which has helped maintain its leading position. The data also reveals a focus on Italian cuisine, with Italian dishes seeing a 2% growth compared to Q3 2022.

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The UK food and drink industry is powering through, adhering to creativity to propel sales as menu counts are on the rise in all channels: pubs & bars, chain restaurants, QSRs and Coffee & Sandwich shops. A new report from Lumina Intelligence's Menu Tracker reveals that the average number of food and drink items on menus in the fourth quarter of 2022 reached a record high of 151, a 2.7% increase from the previous quarter. Pubs and bars saw the largest increase in menu counts, with an additional 10 items added to their menus. All channels saw growth in main course dishes, reflecting the creativity and innovation of the UK's food and drink industry. Quick Service Restaurants (QSRs) were the only channel not to increase its total drink count.

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According to the latest BRC-LDC Vacancy Monitor, in Q4 of 2022, the overall UK retail store vacancy rate improved to 13.8%, which was 0.1% better than Q3 and 0.6% better than the same period last year. This was the fifth consecutive quarter of falling vacancy rates. All locations saw improvements in vacancy rates in Q4: > Shopping Centre vacancies improved to 18.2%, down from 18.8% in Q3 2022. > High Street vacancies improved to 13.8% in Q4, compared to 13.9% in Q3. > Retail Park vacancies improved to 9.0% in Q4, a 0.7% reduction from Q3 2022. Also, it continues to remain the retail location with by far the lowest vacancy rate. Geographically, Greater London, South East and East of England had the lowest vacancy rates.

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2022 has been a challenging year for the hospitality industry, with ongoing staff shortages, soaring bills and decreased consumer spending causing a myriad of pressures. As operators start 2023, they will be sure to consider how to increase footfall and foster long-term loyalty. Jumping on the latest industry trends is a surefire way to attract attention for their venue and allow them to put their restaurant’s offerings on the map. Making the business a community staple In a world of choice, it will be more crucial than ever for operators to foster loyalty this year. With more and more venues waking up to the importance of guest data, utilising customer information to personalise the guest experience to both individual guests and the wider community can help cement a venue as a local staple.

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This Veganuary, plant-based champions and brunch experts, Strong Roots, has commissioned the ultimate report to unpack the nation’s love of brunch – from favourite dishes and rising trends to what Brits want more – and less – of! Their research revealed that brunch is firmly here to stay, with 46% of people agreeing that it is their favourite meal of the weekend – and almost half (49%) saying they couldn’t imagine missing brunch on the weekend. However, with 56% saying they are now eating brunch at home more often to avoid the cost of dining out, Brits are looking for ways to elevate their at-home mid-morning meals. Over 40% of Brits are trying to eat more plant-based meals this Veganuary.

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Live music can help pubs and bars generate extra sales in 2023, according to a new report from research consultancy CGA by NielsenIQ and live music booking platform GigRealm. It reveals that 78% of consumers are more likely to visit a pub, bar or similar venue if it offers live music. Nearly as many (73%) say they are likely to stay in a venue longer if there is live music, and 76% are likely to buy more drinks. As the cost of living crisis squeezes spending, the report suggests people will prioritise live music when going out. Two thirds (68%) think it provides a great experience with family and friends on a low budget, while 47% say they would be likely to continue visiting venues with live music even if they were short on cash.

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OpenTable, a global leader in restaurant technology, has released its 2022 data on the nation's dining habits. The news is positive for restaurants across the UK with the data showing that the number of seated diners has increased by 50% since 2021, with a 19% increase compared to pre-pandemic 2019. A further snapshot of 2022’s dining scene can be found below: • Valentine’s Day saw the biggest increase in seated diners (+137%) since pre-pandemic, with numbers more than double their 2019 levels. • Sheffield and Southampton are named as the UK’s top emerging dining destinations1. Seeing an increase of +210% and 156% respectively in seated diners since 2019 o Followed by Edinburgh (+136%).

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A new survey commissioned by Gusbourne has revealed that over 60% of Britain's will be purchasing English sparkling wine across the Christmas period, signalling a boost for home grown wines. Charlie Holland, CEO and Chief Winemaker at Gusbourne, said, “it’s really exciting to hear that more and more people will be enjoying English wine this Christmas and we’re looking forward to injecting some extra sparkle into our customers' festive season this year.” While unwrapping the presents the majority prefer a cup of tea with the drinks starting to flow for lunch. 22% of people pick Prosecco for the traditional toast and, for the first time in over 70 years, will be toasting the new King. Bubbles are the go to choice for a festive reveller too with 50% of the drinks in the top 10 beverages being carbonated with 1 in 10 people saying English sparkling wine is their go to drink this Christmas.

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Turkey, roast potato and stuffing combine to make the perfect Christmas dinner forkful, according to new national research. The study, conducted by online food ordering app, Foodhub, chewed over the nation’s festive foodie favourites ahead of this Christmas. When asked which three ingredients combine to make the perfect forkful of Christmas dinner, Turkey (42%) roast potato (35%) and stuffing (30%) came out on top, with pigs in blankets (28%) missing out on the favoured mouthful. Last year, Foodhub’s research discovered roast potato was the king of the Christmas dinner, with 57% opting for roasties as their favourite element. However, the spud has been knocked off top spot this year.

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The average amount consumers spend each month in restaurants, takeaways and pubs has fallen notably since the start of the pandemic, with restaurants the hardest hit, new research has found. An independent survey of 2,000 UK adults, conducted by Peckwater Brands, the largest virtual food brand operator in Europe, suggests an alarming trend, as rising inflation and energy costs are likely to reduce consumer spending even further, leaving hospitality businesses at risk. Restaurants have seen the highest drop-off in consumer spending since the start of 2020, down 16% from £58.90 per person per month to £49.30. Spending in pubs fell 14.6% from £47.90 to £40.90, while spending on takeaways saw the lowest reduction.

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Insight from leading discovery and booking platform, DesignMyNight reports that appetite for ‘bottomless’ deals is on the rise as they note a 74% jump for the search term ‘bottomless dinners’ in 2022 which they recommend operators take into consideration for the New Year. As the cost of living starts to bite, DesignMyNight reports that customers are looking for even greater value for out-of-home visits and that site queries for ‘bottomless’ deals are no longer restricted to the UK staple that is brunch. Whilst general ‘bottomless’ searches are up 13% year on year, the more precise search for bottomless dinners is up 74% compared to 2021 and a whopping 123% from 2019. DesignMyNight Senior Marketing Manager.

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There has been a notable uptick in wholesale visits that a driven by the 'main shop mission', across retail and foodservice, as shown by the latest Lumina Intelligence’s Wholesale Market report. The main shop mission has indeed become the most popular among retailers and it has grown in importance over time, as the current economic outlook prompts retailers to avoid regular small purchases and opt for bigger top-up missions to mitigate the impact of the increasing costs. Playing into this trend, promo weeks and event days are being used to drive footfall and build loyalty. Insights Manager Katherine Prowse commented, “Worsening cost pressures are prompting behavioural changes in wholesale customers.

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