In 2005, the UK catering market grew by an estimated 4.2%, to £29.87bn at retail selling prices (rsp).
Key Note divides the market into the following sectors: restaurants; fast food and takeaways; contract catering and foodservice management; hotels; public houses; licensed clubs; and holiday camps and villages, and caravan/camping sites.
In 2005, the fastest-growing sector was public houses, followed by restaurants.
Each of the other market sectors also demonstrated growth, although the rate varied widely.A number of legislative changes with an impact on the catering industry were introduced in 2005.
Among the most significant were the new licensing laws, which came into effect on 24th November 2005.
The Government argues that the new laws give law-abiding drinkers more freedom to choose when they drink, but the changes have led to increased concern about binge drinking and the additional pressures that could be placed on the police service and hospitals.
Another important piece of legislation introduced in 2005 was the Gambling Act, which provides for a new wave of larger casinos, including one Las Vegas resort-style establishment.
The Act also abolished the rule that required a gambler to become a member of a casino at least 24 hours before playing its tables or machines.
This expansion of the market is expected to result in an increase in catering sales by licensed clubs.The restaurant sector has attracted considerable merger and acquisition activity since 2000, the largest deal being the £2.5bn takeover of Spirit Group by Punch Taverns in November 2005.
Several sectors of the fast-food and takeaway market — particularly burgers — continue to be affected by price discounting and concerns about obesity, while the leading companies in the contract catering and foodservice management sector are increasingly offering a range of other support services in order to maintain their sales and profits.
The hotel industry has been badly affected by various incidents and concerns within the UK and internationally since 2001, and the buoyancy the industry enjoyed prior to these events has not yet fully returned.Key Note forecasts that the UK catering market will show steady growth over the period to 2010.
The market is expected to benefit from a continued increase in the number of catering outlets in the UK, improvements in the variety and quality of food on offer, and increasing tourism.
Health concerns could continue to affect some sectors of the market, while changes in the structure of the population are likely to have both negative and positive impacts on the various market sectors.