Provisional statistics of restaurant receipts and purchases for second quarter of 2020

     The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest provisional figures on restaurant receipts and purchases today (August 3).
 
     The value of total receipts of the restaurants sector in the second quarter of 2020, provisionally estimated at $21.2 billion, decreased by 25.9% over a year earlier. Over the same period, the provisional estimate of the value of total purchases by restaurants decreased by 24.7% to $7.0 billion. 

     After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total restaurant receipts decreased by 26.9% in the second quarter of 2020 compared with a year earlier.
 
     Analysed by type of restaurant and comparing the second quarter of 2020 with the second quarter of 2019, total receipts of Chinese restaurants decreased by 31.7% in value and 32.7% in volume. Total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants decreased by 22.3% in value and 22.6% in volume. Total receipts of fast food shops decreased by 19.9% in value and 21.6% in volume. Total receipts of bars decreased by 46.5% in value and 48.4% in volume. As for miscellaneous eating and drinking places, total receipts decreased by 19.1% in value and 20.9% in volume.
 
     Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate of total restaurant receipts increased by 5.0% in value and 5.3% in volume in the second quarter of 2020 compared with the preceding quarter.
 
     Comparing the first half of 2020 with the same period in 2019, total restaurant receipts decreased by 28.7% in value and 29.8% in volume.
 
     To facilitate further understanding of the short-term business performance of the restaurants sector, statistics in respect of the restaurant receipts and purchases in individual months of the reference quarter are also compiled.
 
     Analysed by month, it was provisionally estimated that the value of total receipts of the restaurants sector decreased by 37.9%, 24.4% and 15.7% respectively in April, May and June 2020, compared with the corresponding months a year earlier. 

     After discounting the effect of price changes, it was provisionally estimated that the volume of total restaurant receipts decreased by 38.9%, 25.3% and 16.8% respectively in April, May and June 2020, compared with the corresponding months a year earlier. 

Commentary

     A Government spokesman said that the value of total restaurant receipts continued to decline sharply by 25.9% year-on-year in the second quarter of 2020. Nevertheless, the decline narrowed from the record fall registered in the first quarter, thanks to the abated local epidemic situation and consequential easing of social distancing measures in May and June. 

     The spokesman further pointed out that the business environment of the food and beverage sector is expected to be highly challenging in the near term as the social distancing measures have been tightened again of late in response to the surge in local infection cases since July. The Government will monitor the developments closely.
 
Further information
 
     Table 1 presents the revised figures of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant and total purchases by the restaurants sector for the first quarter of 2020 as well as the provisional figures for the second quarter of 2020.

     Table 2 and Table 3 present the revised value and volume indices respectively of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant for the first quarter of 2020 and the provisional indices for the second quarter of 2020.
 
     Table 4 presents the year-on-year rate of change in total restaurant receipts in value and volume terms based on the original quarterly series, as well as the quarter-to-quarter rate of change based on the seasonally adjusted series.

     The revised figures on restaurant receipts and purchases for the second quarter of 2020 (with breakdown by month) will be released through the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/bbs.jsp) and relevant publications of the Department from September 18, 2020.
 
     The classification of restaurants follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification (HSIC) Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes.

     More detailed statistics are given in the "Report on Quarterly Survey of Restaurant Receipts and Purchases". Users can download this publication free of charge at the website of C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp320.jsp?productCode=B1080002).
 
     Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Distribution Services Statistics Section of C&SD (Tel: 3903 7401; email: qsr@censtatd.gov.hk).