Easing of dine-in services increases F&B sales by 11.4% in April

It grew by 5.2% month-on-month on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Food and Beverage (F&B) sales went up by 11.4% year-on-year (YoY) in April 2022 after indoor dining was allowed for groups of up to 10 fully vaccinated people starting 29 March 2022, data from the Department of Statistics showed.

The sales growth was also attributed to the scrapping of strict dine-in rules, allowing groups of up to eight people to avail of dine-in services.

On a month-on-month (MoM) and seasonally adjusted basis, sales for the industry increased by 5.2% compared to March 2022. The total sales value of F&B services was over $815m, of which, online food & beverage sales made up 27%.

Under the F&B sector, turnover of the food caterers industry rose by 77.7% YoY because of higher demand for in-flight catering on the back of relaxed travel restrictions.

Also, sales of restaurants (17.2%), fast food outlets (3.3%), food caterers as well as cafes, food courts, and other eating places (3.3%) all grew YoY.

But the turnover of fast food outlets declined 0.9% MoM in April 2022 compared to March 2022.