A special weekly edition of the Hospitality Business Tracker – produced by CGA by NIQ, in partnership with RSM UK – shows Britain’s leading hospitality groups recorded year-on-year sales growth of 2.7% in the run-up to Christmas (week commencing 16 December 2024 versus week commencing 18th December 2023).
With year-on-year sales failing to meet inflation in six out of the past 11 months, operators have already found themselves balancing fine margins throughout 2024.
But with staffing costs among managed groups expected to rise even further in April 2025’s Government budget, this Christmas is carrying the burden to make up for strained trading in the previous year and bolster business for the year ahead.
With like-for-like sales growth of 2.7% in week commencing 16th December performance may not have been stunning, but with sales beating recent inflationary benchmarks it has been a week of solid performance.
However, the success has not been divided equally across the market.
A confluence of Christmas parties, late-night sporting events, and convenient bank holiday scheduling may have all contributed to the strongest performance seen among managed bars this year, of 20.5% growth.
This will be a welcome boost for the beleaguered sector, which has spent most of the past year in decline. It is also a welcome reminder that although spending may be currently restrained, there is still remarkable consumer desire to make the most of special occasions. Whether this momentum continues into early 2025, typically the toughest trading period for the late-night sector, remains to be been.
Celebration will be more muted across other segments. Food-led operators saw relatively stronger performance, with like-for-like growth of 3.4% in the on the go sector, and 2.1% in restaurants. Meanwhile pubs saw only minor growth of 0.7%.
