************************************************************
The value of total receipts for the restaurants sector was $17.6 billion in the third quarter of 2007, up by 15.1% compared with the third quarter of 2006. Over the same period, the value of total purchases by restaurants also increased, by 16.3% to $6.0 billion.
After discounting the effect of price changes, total restaurant receipts rose by 12.2% in volume in the third quarter of 2007 as compared to a year earlier.
These are the provisional figures on restaurant receipts and purchases released today (November 9) 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 non-Chinese restaurants increased by 17.9% in value or 14.7% in volume in the third quarter of 2007 as compared to a year earlier.
Over the same period, total receipts of Chinese restaurants increased by 16.6% in value or 13.7% in volume, while total receipts of bars increased by 12.8% in value or 12.1% in volume.
Total receipts of fast food shops increased by 8.7% in value or by 5.9% in volume in the third quarter of 2007 as compared to a year earlier.
As for miscellaneous eating and drinking places, total receipts increased by 6.6% in value or 3.9% in volume.
On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, the volume of total restaurant receipts increased by 2.2% in the third quarter of 2007 as compared to the second quarter of 2007.
Comparing the first three quarters of 2007 with the same period in 2006, total restaurant receipts increased by 12.9% in value or 10.4% in volume.
Table 1 presents the revised figures for the total receipts and total purchases of the restaurants sector for the second quarter of 2007 and the provisional figures for the third quarter of 2007. The value and volume indices of the restaurant receipts in the second quarter of 2007 and the third quarter of 2007 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 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.
Users can download the Report on Quarterly Survey of Restaurant Receipts and Purchases free of charge at the website of the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD) (www.censtatd.gov.hk/products_and_services/products/publications/index.jsp).
Print version of this publication is available for sale at HK$6.0 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/Friday, November 9, 2007
Issued at HKT 16:27
NNNN