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Consumers going out 12% more often, says Deloitte

Published:  02 December, 2011

Consumers are going out to eat and drink 12% more often than six months ago, that's the good news from Deloitte's Taste the Nation survey.

Consumers are going out to eat and drink 12% more often than six months ago, that's the good news from Deloitte's Taste the Nation survey.

The growth is primarily driven by 18-34 year-olds, and men going out for a drink.

But Deloitte also warned that the next six months are likely to be more challenging as overall outings are expected to drop marginally by 1.4%.

The survey questioned 3,000 adult consumers across the UK, taking into account every time they purchased drink or food from a pub, bar, coffee/sandwich shop, quick service outlet, restaurant or club, whether it be a sit-in or takeaway occasion. 

The survey results showed consumers have increased the number of times they're going out to eta or drink from 17.5 occasions per month to 19.7 - a 12% increase - significantly higher than the predicted increase of 3%, when Deloitte asked this question in April. The growth was driven by the 18-34 year-old age group, who recorded an average of 30.4 going out occasions per month, compared to 24.8 occasions six months ago; and frequent users, those that go out at least twice a week, mostly males going out for a drink (up 10%). 

But 38% expect to be worse off in the next six months (34% in April 2011), and predict their outings will decrease by 1.4%.

Other key findings included:

  • Men continue to dominate the market and go out over 50% more than women - 23.9 occasions per month compared to 15.3 for females.
  • Over the next six months, the number of occasions for eating and drinking are predicted to remain flat;
  • The North recorded a rise in overall outings recently (up 13%), despite being the only region in the previous survey to forecast a decrease (down 1.1% six months ago);
  • Londoners (on average 28.2 going out occasions per month) go out over a third more than the next highest region, the North (20.6 occasions per month).


Jon Lake, a corporate finance director in Deloitte's licensed retail group, said: "Despite a gloomy outlook, the eating and drinking out market has bucked the trend over the last six months.  While an element of the growth can be attributed to seasonality and the welcome boost provided by a late summer, these latest findings demonstrate the continuing resilience of the going out market and are a reflection of the importance of the sector for the UK consumer.

"The coming months may prove more challenging.  However, consumers are still regularly going out and those operators that continue to be innovative and tailor their offer accordingly should continue to prosper.  With the continued rise in the number of outlets and brands being introduced, the going out market will continue to be highly competitive."

The Taste of the Nation report is produced by Deloitte, together with market research agency firm BDRC Continental.

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