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How the Bank of England base rate impacts the hospitality industry

Published:  09 October, 2024

The Bank of England’s base rate, also referred to as the Bank Rate or simply the interest rate, is a key economic tool that affects the cost of borrowing and returns on savings in the UK. Set by the Bank of England, it helps control inflation and maintain economic stability. 

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Hospitality looks to inflation relief to raise hopes on sales and margins

Published:  03 September, 2024

Caution about the future remains a staple concern among Britain’s hospitality leaders as pressure on the cost of doing business continues to rise.

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Hospitality faces inflation challenges amid mixed sales results

Published:  23 May, 2024

UK inflation dropped to 2.3% in April, its lowest level in nearly three years. However, the reduction was less significant than anticipated, dampening hopes for an imminent interest rate cut.

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Inflation drains Treasury coffers by £600m

Published:  21 February, 2024

Soaring alcohol inflation has made an explosive hole in HMRC’s receipts, new figures reveal.

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Alcohol duty rises impact inflation

Published:  17 January, 2024

Last August’s duty hikes for wine and spirits have contributed to December’s unexpected rise in UK inflation, it has been revealed, as the Wine and Spirit Trade Association (WSTA) announces that the rate for the sector is now three times higher than it was this time last year.

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Friday Read: Why luxury drinks need to change tack

Published:  01 December, 2023

Chris Jeffreys, creative director at Love agency, argues there’s no room for complacency with high-end brands in this era of high inflation.

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Wet October softens growth for hospitality

Published:  15 November, 2023

Britain’s leading hospitality groups saw year-on-year growth slow to 3.2% in October amid widespread poor weather, the new CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker reveals.

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Friday read: Argentina ban adds economic tension for winemakers

Published:  22 September, 2023

Argentina can add a ban on invoices for overseas services to their woes as a number of top estates have been forced to pull out of marketing and advertising commitments abroad. It is another blow to the industry, as winemakers are forced grapple with yet more economic volatility and a situation which is increasingly creating an uneven competitive playing field in global export markets.

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Hospitality leaders hold on to optimism as inflation slows

Published:  20 September, 2023

Confidence is rising slightly among hospitality owners, new data suggest, despite inflation slowing at a ‘glacial’ pace and economic pressures in the offing, which could potentially leave the sector with a ‘billion-pound bill’.

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Independents: Paying the duty bill

Published:  15 September, 2023

Jo Gilbert reports on the results of Harpers’ latest survey, where we asked independent retailers to let us know which cost pressures are affecting them most – with inflation and duty unsurprisingly leading the charge.

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Lipstick effect brightens up sales of alcohol – until reality (duty) bites?

Published:  09 August, 2023

Economic depression tends to lead consumers to splash out on little luxuries. This is the idea behind the ‘lipstick effect’, coined by Estée Lauder’s Leonard Lauder to describe the rocketing rise of lipsticks in 2008, post the 9/11 attacks in New York and while global markets teetered on the brink of financial meltdown. By extension – and with the cost of living and wage stagnation pushing prices higher – alcohol still seems to fall within a comparatively ‘affordable luxury’ bracket.

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Food prices in hospitality surge again as supermarket prices ease

Published:  31 July, 2023

Inflation in hospitality rose again in June to 22.6% YOY, just shy of the record high of 22.9% in December 2022, as measured by CGA.

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Wine Society summer tasting: “We will swallow inflation and duty rises”

Published:  11 July, 2023

In April 2023, in what was described as an “industry first”, The Wine Society announced it would prevent price increases despite the effects of high inflation and rising duty costs.

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Fall in incomes hits hospitality as operators absorb costs

Published:  03 July, 2023

New data has highlighted the effect of rising cost of borrowing on spending in the hospitality sector, as consumers’ real income falls.

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Jerry Lockspeiser: It’s time the Bank of England joined us in the real world

Published:  28 June, 2023

The Bank of England’s decision to increase the base rate to 5% is a stab in the eye to under pressure businesses and struggling consumers. It would be hard enough to swallow if it were the right medicine for the illness. When it is based on a misdiagnosis it is unacceptable.

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Hospitality operators report 5.6% sales growth in May

Published:  21 June, 2023

Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups achieved an eighth consecutive month of year-on-year sales growth in May 2023, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker shows.

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Strong April for hospitality cancelled out by inflation

Published:  24 May, 2023

Britain’s leading managed restaurant, pub and bar groups achieved like-for-like and YOY sales growth of 6.9% in April 2023, the latest Coffer CGA Business Tracker reveals.

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Soapbox: Sizing up the bad payers

Published:  18 May, 2023

As financial challenges sweep the trade, one importer voices the fears  of many that late payment by accounts is becoming ingrained

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OIV insights: Soaring costs

Published:  17 May, 2023

Jo Gilbert analyses recent OIV data, which shows the impact of galloping inflation on global wine exports.

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Despite ‘greedflation’ concerns, alcohol brand loyalty remains high

Published:  25 April, 2023

A majority of Britons believe companies are using inflation to mask price gouging. But despite price rises, loyalty to alcohol brands remains high, according to new findings by consumer research platform Attest.

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