Consumer Edge’s UK data managed to capture Greggs’s sales growth for 2021H1.  In today’s Insight Flash, we see how the company’s spend growth is stacking up versus other UK Limited-Service restaurants.

Spend has been steadily growing for Limited-Service Restaurants in the UK since the beginning of the year amidst easing pandemic restrictions.  Spend in May and June was up around 50% from January 2020, accelerating to a 60% increase in July.  Yet, Quick Service Snack/Beverage has lagged as a subindustry.  Versus January 2020, spend growth was only 20% in May, 35% in June, and 40% in July.  Greggs spend growth had been outperforming Quick Service Snack/Beverage from November 2020 through May, though it underperformed slightly in June with a narrowing gap in July.

Looking at June and July of 2021 versus the same months two years ago in the UK, Quick Service Snack and Beverage has been among the top-growing subindustries within Limited-Service Restaurants. Delivery accounts for the largest spend growth within Limited-Service restaurants at over 150%. Oft-delivered Quick Service Pizza was the second-highest change at 27%, with Quick Service Snack and Beverage not far behind at 25% spend growth versus 2019. Fast Casual Dining saw the largest decline at -39%.

Subindustry Growth

Greggs’s 30% growth in June and July 2021 versus the same period in 2019 is relatively strong among our UK Limited-Service Restaurant coverage, but below most delivery brands and some pub chains and global fast food concepts.  Within the Snack/Beverage subindustry, Greggs and its sausage rolls are among the top growth concepts, with higher UK growth than Cookhouse & Pub, Starbucks, Hungry Horse, Miller & Carter, Farmhouse Inns, Café Nero, or Costa among large positive-growth brands.

Brand Growth

Note: Brands with under £10K spend in 2021 June + July excluded