January 11, 2010, U.S. – The global foodservice business remained weak in the third quarter of 2009, with Canada the lone country among nine showing a growth in consumer traffic, according to the market research company The NPD Group (NPD).
According to NPD's Crest, which tracks commercial foodservice usage in France, Germany, Japan, Spain, the United Kingdom, Italy, the United States, Canada, and China, restaurant traffic counts declined in the third quarter across Europe, with the steepest declines in the United Kingdom (down 2.7 per cent) and Spain (down 4.1 per cent) compared to the third quarter of 2008. Japan (down 0.6 per cent) and the United States (down 4.3 per cent) also experienced steep declines in traffic during the third quarter. Canada had the only increase (3.3 per cent) in foodservice visits, but posted a flat average guest check compared to the third quarter of 2008.
Consumer spending declined in nearly every country during the quarter, except in Canada.
"The global foodservice business in the third quarter of this year shows how far the global consumer economy has to come before it can again be described as healthy," said Bob O’Brien, senior vice president of global foodservice at NPD. "While many of the countries we track had relatively good quarters across their whole economies, the news for the foodservice market is largely disappointing."
Visits to quick-service foodservice outlets grew or held to last year’s level in six out of the eight countries NPD tracks. Retail foodservice, such as convenience stores, experienced a relatively healthy third quarter in terms of traffic compared to the same quarter in 2008. Canada showed traffic increases at all foodservice segments except non-commercial.
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