Appetite for deliveries jumps five-fold compared to pre-Covid level
Britain’s appetite for takeaways and deliveries shows no sign of stopping after the easing of pandemic restrictions new data has shown.
The nation’s top restaurant and pub groups saw the value of delivery sales increase 422 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels last month as Brits continue to dine at home, an industry tracker by CGA and Slerp has revealed. Deliveries and takeaways accounted for nearly 30 pence in every pound spent at managed restaurant and pub groups in January 2022.
“This strong start to 2022 shows that the delivery sector is going to flourish long after COVID-19 concerns ease,” said Karl Chessell, CGA’s business operator for Europe the Middle East and Africa.
“Consumers have got used to the convenience and quality of at-home food and drink from restaurants and pubs, and many of them will not change their habits lightly, even as eating-out returns to pre-pandemic norms. The big challenge for businesses is to ensure that delivery sales are incremental rather than detrimental to their in-venue sales in 2022,” he added.
The volume of sales also jumped last month, with delivery and takeaway sales more than double the level of January 2019, up by 129 per cent. The increase is higher than in December 2021, when the tracker registered a 127 per cent jump compared to pre-pandemic levels amid concerns about the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
“Confidence is building back up in the sector with operators feeling more clear on a post-COVID-19 landscape,” said Slerp founder JP Then.
“The most innovative businesses are really embracing direct-to-consumer online ordering by building it into their marketing strategies, and targeting specific calendar moments that are relevant to them, such as Lunar New Year, Valentine’s or Mother’s Day. Operators are focused on building their book of customers to aid in email/SMS marketing campaigns to drive more repeat business,” Then continued.