************************************************************
The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest figures on restaurant receipts and purchases today (October 31).
The value of total receipts of the restaurants sector in the third quarter of 2013, provisionally estimated at $24.2 billion, increased by 3.8% over a year earlier. Over the same period, the provisional value of total purchases by restaurants increased by 4.2% to $8.4 billion.
After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the volume of total restaurant receipts fell by 0.4% in the third quarter of 2013 compared with a year earlier.
Analysed by type of restaurant and comparing the third quarter of 2013 with the third quarter of 2012, total receipts of Chinese restaurants increased by 0.1% in value but decreased by 4.1% in volume. Total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants increased by 7.8% in value and 4.4% in volume. Total receipts of fast food shops increased by 4.1% in value but decreased by 0.7% in volume. Total receipts of miscellaneous eating and drinking places increased by 16.8% in value and 10.3% in volume. As for bars, total receipts increased by 4.0% in value and 0.3% in volume.
Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the volume of total restaurant receipts increased by 0.1% in the third quarter of 2013 compared with the preceding quarter.
Comparing the first three quarters of 2013 with the same period in 2012, total restaurant receipts increased by 4.0% in value but decreased by 0.3% in volume.
To facilitate better 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, the value of total receipts of the restaurants sector was provisionally estimated at $8.0 billion, $8.2 billion and $8.0 billion respectively in July, August and September 2013. The provisional value of total purchases by restaurants was estimated at $2.8 billion in each month of July, August and September 2013.
After discounting the effect of price changes, total restaurant receipts decreased by 2.0% in July, but increased by 0.3% in volume in both August and September 2013 compared with a year earlier.
Further information
Table 1 presents the revised figures of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant and total purchases by the restaurants sector for the second quarter of 2013 as well as the provisional figures for the third quarter of 2013.
Table 2 and Table 3 present the revised value and volume indices respectively, of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant for the second quarter of 2013 and the provisional indices for the third quarter of 2013.
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 third quarter of 2013 (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 December 20, 2013.
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.: 2123 1040; e-mail: qsr@censtatd.gov.hk).
Ends/Thursday, October 31, 2013
Issued at HKT 16:30
NNNN
