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The value of total receipts for the restaurants sector was $20.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2008, up by 8.3% when compared with the fourth quarter of 2007. Over the same period, the value of total purchases by restaurants also increased, by 8.4% to $7.1 billion.
After discounting the effect of price changes, total restaurant receipts rose by 2.6% in volume in the fourth quarter of 2008 as compared to a year earlier.
These are the provisional figures on restaurant receipts and purchases released today (February 2) by the Census and Statistics Department.
Restaurant receipts in volume terms are derived from the corresponding receipts in value terms after adjusting for price changes. The relevant components of the Composite Consumer Price Index are used for this adjustment.
Analysed by type of restaurant, total receipts of Chinese restaurants increased by 9.9% in value or 3.9% in volume in the fourth quarter of 2008 as compared to a year earlier.
Over the same period, total receipts of fast food shops increased by 8.6% in value or 2.7% in volume, while total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants increased by 5.3% in value or 0.3% in volume.
Total receipts of miscellaneous eating and drinking places increased by 4.3% in value but decreased by 0.6% in volume in the fourth quarter of 2008 as compared to a year earlier. As for bars, total receipts increased by 4.1% in value or 0.1% in volume.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, the volume of total restaurant receipts decreased by 1.0% in the fourth quarter of 2008 as compared to the third quarter of 2008.
For 2008 as a whole, the value of total receipts for the restaurants sector was $79.0 billion. This represented an increase of 13.1% in value or 6.9% in volume as compared to 2007. Over the same period, the value of total purchases of restaurants increased by 17.2% to $28.2 billion.
Analysed by type of restaurant, total receipts of Chinese restaurants in 2008 increased by 14.2% in value or 7.4% in volume over 2007.
Concurrently, total receipts of bars increased by 13.7% in value or 9.1% in volume, while total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants increased by 13.0% in value or 7.5% in volume.
As for fast food shops, total receipts in 2008 increased by 10.5% in value or 4.4% in volume over 2007 while total receipts of miscellaneous eating and drinking places also rose, by 8.3% in value or 3.7% in volume.
Table 1 presents the revised figures for the total purchases of the restaurants sector, the total receipts of the entire restaurants sector and by type of restaurant for the third quarter of 2008 and the provisional figures for the fourth quarter of 2008. The value indices of the restaurant receipts for the third quarter and the fourth quarter of 2008 for the entire restaurants sector and by type of restaurant are also given, with the average of quarterly indices from October 2004 to September 2005 taken as 100.
Table 2 shows the volume indices of the restaurant receipts for the third quarter and the provisional indices for the fourth quarter of 2008 in respect of the entire restaurants sector and by type of restaurant, with the average of quarterly indices from October 2004 to September 2005 taken as 100.
Table 3 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.
The revised figures on restaurant receipts and purchases for the fourth quarter of 2008 will be released at the website of the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) (www.censtatd.gov.hk/hong_kong_statistics/index.jsp) and relevant publications of the Department starting from March 20, 2009.
Users can download the Report on Quarterly Survey of Restaurant Receipts and Purchases free of charge from the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/index.jsp).
Print version of this publication is available for sale at HK$6 per issue. Purchase can be done in person at the Publications Unit of the C&SD (Address: 19/F Wanchai Tower, 12 Harbour Road, Wan Chai; Tel.: 2582 3025) or through mail order by returning a completed order form which can be downloaded from the C&SD¡¦s website (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/other_services/provision_of_stat/mail_ordering_of_publications/index.jsp). Print version of this publication is also available for sale online at the Government Bookstore of the Information Services Department (www.bookstore.gov.hk).
Enquiries about the restaurant receipts and purchases statistics may be directed to the Distribution Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel.: 2123 1040).
Ends/Monday, February 2, 2009
Issued at HKT 16:30
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