Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Products covered in this report
Executive Summary
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- The market
- Catering segment fuels pub sector
- Lower growth is expected in the next five years
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- Figure 1: Forecast for the value of the pub catering market, 2012-22
- Companies and brands
- Fast-growing food-led concepts: pizza, all-day dining, mobile apps
- JD Wetherspoon leads in value perception; Harvester wins healthy perception
- The consumer
- Evening visits losing out
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- Figure 2: Frequency of visits, April 2018
- Beer is the favourite pub drink
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- Figure 3: Most popular drinks, April 2018
- Lunch and dinner occasions attract different visitors
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- Figure 4: Eating occasions, April 2018
- Most people have benefited from special offers at pubs
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- Figure 5: Pub catering behaviours, April 2018
- Pubs need to modernise food offerings ...
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- Figure 6: Menu trends to encourage visits, April 2018
- ... and stay true to their roots
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- Figure 7: Attitudes towards pub catering, April 2018
- What we think
Issues and Insights
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- Winning with families
- The facts
- The implications
- Opportunities in “fourth” meals
- The facts
- The implications
- Modernising and staying true
- The facts
- The implications
The Market – What You Need to Know
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- Catering segment fuels pub sales
- Lower growth is expected in the next five years
- Price rises could hit consumer spending
- Pub operators endure rising costs
- Ageing population may dampen long-term growth
Market Size and Forecast
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- Pub catering segment continues to grow …
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- Figure 8: Forecast for the value of the pub catering market, 2012-22
- … but pubs need to endure tough trading conditions
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- Figure 9: Examples of supermarket’s pub-style ready meals, April 2018
- Figure 10: Best- and worst-case forecast for pub catering market, 2012-22
- Forecast methodology
Market Drivers
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- Brexit uncertainty for pubs sector
- Pubs have less appeal to an ageing population
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- Figure 11: Change in age structure of the UK population, 2012-17 and 2017-22
- Fight against obesity remains on the agenda
- New Pubs Code for tied leased and tenancy agreements
- Pub closures remain commonplace
- Price rises could hit consumer spending
- Rising menu prices
- Household budgets start to ease
- Pub operators continue to face rising costs
- National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage
- Apprenticeship Levy
- Revaluation of business rates
- Utilities add pressures on publicans
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- Figure 12: Utility prices paid by non-domestic consumers (including the Climate Change Levy), 2007-17*
- Sports TV subscriptions
- Move away from traditional fish choices
- The soft drinks levy arrives
- Phasing out plastic
Companies and Brands – What You Need to Know
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- Food-led concepts in expansion mode
- Testing dining concepts and mobile apps
- Destination gastropubs drive demand for accommodation
- JD Wetherspoon leads in value perception ...
- ... while Harvester wins in perception of healthy food
Competitive Strategies
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- Expansion
- Charles Wells expands Pizza, Pots and Pints
- Loungers invests £10 million into 16 new sites
- Acquisition
- Stonegate takes on more pubs
- Star Pubs & Bars acquires 1,900 Punch pubs
- Refurbishment
- M&B rolls out new format for Harvester
- Collaborations
- Remarkable Pubs launches craft beer pub with fish and chip shop collaboration
- Trials
- Revolution Bars Group to boost food sales
- M&B trials mobile order at table
- Whitbread trials new pub format
- Wetherspoon trials pizza
- Refinancing
Launch Activity and Innovation
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- Interest in food and drink pairing can boost wine
- Food delivery gains traction
- Pubs with rooms
- Draught cocktails
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- Figure 13: Draught cocktails by Funkin Cocktails, March 2018
- Premium soft drinks
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- Figure 14: Aqua Spritz by Brewfitt Ltd, March 2018
- Vegan and vegetarian options
- Pub pop-ups and events
Brand Research
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- Brand map
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- Figure 15: Attitudes towards and usage of selected brands, April 2018
- Key brand metrics
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- Figure 16: Key metrics for selected brands, April 2018
- Brand attitudes: J D Wetherspoon seen to offer the best value
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- Figure 17: Attitudes, by brand, April 2018
- Brand personality – macro: Beefeater and Toby Carvery edge towards boring
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- Figure 18: Brand personality – macro image, April 2018
- Brand personality – micro: Potential for Walkabout to be a cool brand
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- Figure 19: Brand personality – micro image, April 2018
- Brand analysis
- J D Wetherspoon is UK’s dominant pub brand
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- Figure 20: User profile of JD Wetherspoon, April 2018
- Toby Carvery is accessible
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- Figure 21: User profile of Toby Carvery, April 2018
- Harvester, healthiest brand of all
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- Figure 22: User profile of Harvester, April 2018
- Potential for Hungry Horse to increase brand awareness
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- Figure 23: User profile of Hungry Horse, April 2018
- More can be done to improve value proposition of Beefeater Grill among older diners
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- Figure 24: User profile of Beefeater Grill, April 2018
- There’s scope for Walkabout Bars to ramp up its “cool factor”
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- Figure 25: User profile of Walkabout Bars, April 2018
The Consumer – What You Need to Know
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- Evening visits losing out
- Beer is the favourite pub drink
- Meal times spur coffee sales
- Most people visit pubs through promoted visits
- Modernising pub food ...
- ... while staying true to your roots
Frequency of Visits
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- A drop in overall visits
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- Figure 26: Change in overall visits, March 2017- April 2018
- More people visit a pub/bar during the day
- Young families eat at pubs on a regular basis
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- Figure 27: Frequency of visits, April 2018
- Women and older consumers rarely eat at pubs
Most Popular Drinks
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- Beer is the most popular drink
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- Figure 28: Most popular drinks, April 2018
- Healthier fizzy drinks could keep prices sweet
- Mocktails and alcohol-free drinks in high spirits
Popular Eating Occasions
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- Lunch and dinner occasions attract different visitors
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- Figure 29: Eating occasions, April 2018
- Meal times spur coffee sales
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- Figure 30: Popular eating occasions, by hot drinks ordered, April 2018
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- Figure 31: Most popular meal times, by interest in barista-style coffee, April 2018
- Rise of the “fourth meal” in cities
Pub Catering Behaviours
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- Most people have eaten at pubs through promoted visits
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- Figure 32: Pub catering behaviours, April 2018
- It’s a family affair
- The influence of reviews
Menu Trends to Encourage Visits
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- Modern pub grub boosts food-led venues
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- Figure 33: Menu trends to encourage visits, April 2018
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- Figure 34: Attitudes towards pub catering, by interest in pub catering trends, April 2018
- Modernising pub venues with open kitchens
- Small plates create diner experience without going over-the-top
- British cheese/charcuterie boards can drive snacks
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- Figure 35: Most popular meal times, by interest in pub catering trends, April 2018
Attitudes towards Pub Catering
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- Personalised promotions essential for pubs/bars
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- Figure 36: Attitudes towards pub catering, April 2018
- Stay true to your roots by focusing on provenance
- Free-from food helps create awareness
- Tapping into younger Millennials’ charitable side
- Connecting with the public through outdoor events
- Urban families most keen on all-day dining – CHAID analysis
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- Figure 37: Pub Catering – CHAID – Tree output, April 2018
Appendix – Data Sources, Abbreviations and Supporting Information
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- Abbreviations
- Consumer research methodology
- CHAID methodology
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- Figure 38: Pub catering – CHAID – Table output, April 2018
Appendix – Market Size and Forecast
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- Figure 39: Best- and worst-case forecast of total UK pub catering sales, 2017-22
- Forecast methodology
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