************************************************************
The value of total receipts for the restaurants sector was $14.7 billion in the fourth quarter of 2005, up by 7.0% compared with the fourth quarter of 2004. Over the same period, the value of total purchases of restaurants also increased, by 6.0% to $5.0 billion.
2. After discounting the effect of price changes, total restaurant receipts rose by 5.9% in volume in the fourth quarter of 2005 as compared to a year earlier.
3. These are the provisional figures on restaurant receipts and purchases released today (February 13) by the Census and Statistics Department.
4. Restaurant receipts in volume terms are derived from the corresponding receipts in value terms by adjusting for price changes. The relevant components of the Composite Consumer Price Index are used for this adjustment purpose.
5. Analysed by type of restaurant, total receipts of fast food shops increased by 10.9% in value or 9.8% in volume in the fourth quarter of 2005 as compared to a year earlier.
6. Over the same period, total receipts of Chinese restaurants increased by 6.4% in value or 4.9% in volume, while total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants increased by 6.3% in value or 6.1% in volume.
7. Total receipts of miscellaneous eating and drinking places increased by 4.0% in value or 1.6% in volume in the fourth quarter of 2005 as compared to a year earlier.
8. As for bars, total receipts increased by 0.2% in value or 2.7% in volume.
9. On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, the volume of total restaurant receipts increased by 1.2% in the fourth quarter of 2005 as compared to the third quarter of 2005.
10. For 2005 as a whole, the value of total receipts for the restaurants sector was $56.2 billion. This represented an increase of 6.0% in value, or 5.2% in volume, over 2004. Over the same period, the value of total purchases of restaurants increased by 6.6% to $19.2 billion.
11. Analysed by type of restaurant, total receipts of Chinese restaurants increased by 7.5% in value or 6.4% in volume in 2005.
12. Concurrently, total receipts of fast food shops rose by 6.7% in value or 5.6% in volume, while total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants increased by 3.4% in value or 3.2% in volume.
13. As for miscellaneous eating and drinking places, total receipts increased by 1.4% in value but decreased by 0.4% in volume.
14. Total receipts of bars also rose, by 0.8% in value or 0.7% in volume.
15. Table 1 presents the revised figures for the total receipts and total purchases of the restaurants sector for the third quarter of 2005 and the provisional figures for the fourth quarter of 2005. The value and volume indices of the restaurant receipts in the third quarter of 2005 and the fourth quarter of 2005 for the entire restaurants sector and by type of restaurant are also given, with the average of quarterly indices from October 1999 to September 2000 taken as 100.
16. Table 2 shows the year-on-year rate of change in total restaurant receipts in volume terms based on the original series, as well as the quarter-to-quarter rate of change based on the seasonally adjusted series.
17. The report containing the analysis of the fourth quarter of 2005 result is now on sale at HK$5 per issue. Both print version and download version of the publication can be purchased online at the "Statistical Bookstore, Hong Kong" (http://www.statisticalbookstore.gov.hk). Download version of the publication can be purchased at 75% of its original price exclusively at the online Statistical Bookstore. Print version if purchased online is also offered a discount, at 85% of its original price at the Statistical Bookstore as well as the Government Bookstore (http://www.isd.gov.hk/eng/bookorder.htm). Print version can be purchased through mail order by completing and returning an order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD's website (http://www.censtatd.gov.hk/eng/prod_serv/forms_index.html), or in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address: 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel.: 2582 3025).
18. Enquiries about the restaurant receipts and purchases statistics may be directed to the Distribution Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel. No. : 2123 1040).
Ends/Monday, February 13, 2006
Issued at HKT 16:15
NNNN
