The Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) released the latest provisional figures on restaurant receipts and purchases today (November 3).

     The value of total receipts of the restaurants sector in the third quarter of 2016, provisionally estimated at $27.0 billion, increased by 2.7% over a year earlier. Over the same period, the provisional estimate of the value of total purchases by restaurants increased by 0.7% to $9.1 billion.

     After netting out the effect of price changes over the same period, the provisional estimate of the volume of total restaurant receipts edged down by 0.2% in the third quarter of 2016 compared with a year earlier.

     Analysed by type of restaurant and comparing the third quarter of 2016 with the third quarter of 2015, total receipts of Chinese restaurants increased by 0.6% in value but decreased by 2.8% in volume. Total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants increased by 3.3% in value and 1.5% in volume. Total receipts of fast food shops increased by 6.2% in value and 2.7% in volume. Total receipts of bars increased by 1.4% in value and 1.2% in volume. As for miscellaneous eating and drinking places, total receipts increased by 5.5% in value and 2.1% in volume.

     Based on the seasonally adjusted series, the provisional estimate of total restaurant receipts increased by 0.2% in value but decreased by 0.4% in volume in the third quarter of 2016 compared with the preceding quarter.

     Comparing the first three quarters of 2016 with the same period in 2015, it was provisionally estimated that total restaurant receipts increased by 2.5% in value but decreased by 0.6% 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, it was provisionally estimated that the value of total receipts of the restaurants sector increased by 4.2%, 0.9% and 3.1% respectively in July, August and September 2016, compared with the corresponding months a year earlier.

     After discounting the effect of price changes, it was provisionally estimated that total restaurant receipts increased by 1.0%, decreased by 1.9% and increased by 0.3% in volume respectively in July, August and September 2016, compared with the corresponding months a year earlier.

     Following the release of the 2014/15-based Composite Consumer Price Index in April 2016, the series of value and volume indices of restaurant receipts have been re-referenced, taking October 2014 to September 2015 as the new reference period and adopting the relevant components of the 2014/15-based Composite Consumer Price Index as deflators for compiling the volume index of restaurant receipts. An enhanced technical feature in the re-referenced series is that the volume index of restaurant receipts is compiled based on the chain-linking approach as stipulated in the System of National Accounts 2008 adopted by the United Nations Statistics Division. More details of the re-referencing of the series of value and volume indices of restaurant receipts and the re-referenced index series back to the fourth quarter of 2004 were announced on the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/whats_new/rereferencing/index.jsp) on October 14, 2016. As from the reference quarter of the third quarter of 2016, the value and volume indices of restaurant receipts and their year-on-year rates of changes published in each quarter are compiled based on the re-referenced series.

     It should be noted that the effect of re-referencing on the year-on-year rate of change in the volume index of restaurant receipts for the third quarter of 2016 is minimal, while the corresponding year-on-year rate of change in the value index of restaurant receipts is not affected.

Further information

     Table 1 presents the revised values of restaurant receipts by type of restaurant and total purchases by the restaurants sector for the second quarter of 2016 as well as the provisional figures for the third quarter of 2016.

     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 2016 and the provisional indices for the third quarter of 2016, with the average indices from October 2014 to September 2015 taken as 100.

     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 2016 (with breakdown by month) will be released through the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/bbs.jsp) and relevant publications of the Department from December 20, 2016.

     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 including the historical series of re-referenced restaurant receipts value and volume indices by type of restaurant 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 the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp320.jsp?productCode=B1080002). Alternatively, the historical series with more monthly and quarterly breakdowns in the past years can be downloaded in the form of a statistical table at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hkstat/sub/sp320.jsp?productCode=D5600088).

     Users who have enquiries about the survey results may contact the Distribution Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7401; email: qsr@censtatd.gov.hk).

Ends/Thursday, November 3, 2016
Issued at HKT 16:30

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