Delivery and takeaway sales slip as consumers return to eating out

27 April 2022 by
Delivery and takeaway sales slip as consumers return to eating out

Britain's managed restaurant and pub groups' delivery and takeaway sales remain more than double pre-Covid levels – but trading has dipped year-on-year after consumers resumed their out-of-home eating habits.

The latest edition of the CGA and Slerp Hospitality at Home Tracker showed that groups' combined delivery and takeaway sales in March 2022 were 119% higher than in March 2019. Three-year sales growth for deliveries stood at 382% – 19 times the increase of 20% in the takeaway and click-and-collect sector.

However, growth stalled over the last 12 months as Covid-19 restrictions eased and consumers returned to restaurants and pubs, with many tightening their belts as the cost of living rises.

March delivery and takeaway sales were 24% below the levels of March 2021, when Britain was under strict Covid-19 restrictions and venues were closed. Deliveries were 19% down year-on-year, and takeaways down 31%.

Karl Chessell, CGA's director – hospitality operators and food, EMEA, said: "Given the comparatives, the year-on-year dip in deliveries and takeaways was inevitable. It's also a welcome sign that many consumers still prefer eating out to ordering in, and that their behaviour is settling back to pre-pandemic norms.

However, the at-home market still represents around a quarter of managed groups' sales, and it is very clear that the convenience of deliveries will continue to appeal. Optimising deliveries and partnerships with third-party platforms, without disrupting eat-in trading, is going to be crucial as we head towards the summer."

Slerp founder JP Then added: "The focus for operators is turning repeat customers into loyal advocates. This applies online as much as it does for on premise. We know that up to 70% of revenue is generated from 30% of customers – it's now about engaging with this customer base when they purchase online, and rewarding them to drive repeat purchases directly. Successful operators are using their own apps and web-ordering with loyalty and customers are responding with repeat spend."

Photo: Adam Rhodes on Unsplash

The Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email

Start the working day with The Caterer’s free breakfast briefing email

Sign Up and manage your preferences below

Check mark icon
Thank you

You have successfully signed up for the Caterer Breakfast Briefing Email and will hear from us soon!

Jacobs Media Group is honoured to be the recipient of the 2020 Queen's Award for Enterprise.

The highest official awards for UK businesses since being established by royal warrant in 1965. Read more.

close

Ad Blocker detected

We have noticed you are using an adblocker and – although we support freedom of choice – we would like to ask you to enable ads on our site. They are an important revenue source which supports free access of our website's content, especially during the COVID-19 crisis.

trade tracker pixel tracking