Hong Kong restaurant sales fell 14.3 percent in the December quarter, provisionally estimated at HKD26 billion (US$3.35 billion).
Provisional figures released by The Hong Kong Census and Statistics Department, also estimated that the value of purchases by restaurants during the quarter fell by 13 percent to HKD8.4 billion ($1.08 billion).
A government spokesman said the figures marked the largest quarterly fall since the outbreak of Sars in the second quarter of 2003, as local social incidents with intensified violence during the quarter “caused severe disruptions to food and beverage businesses”.
For the full year, Hong Kong restaurant sales declined 5.9 percent in value terms, marking the first annual decline since 2003. The value of total receipts of the restaurants’ sector was provisionally estimated at HKD112.5 billion ($14.5 billion).
The spokesman said the food-and-beverage sector has been facing an even more difficult business environment recently due to the threat of the novel coronavirus infection.
“The outlook down the road depends critically on how the situation of the novel coronavirus infection will evolve.”
Analyzed by type of restaurant and comparing the whole of last year with 2018, Chinese restaurant sales decreased by 10 percent in value and 12.1 percent in volume. Receipts of non-Chinese restaurants fell by 6.4 percent in value and 8.3 percent in volume, while fast-food shops sales edged up 1.9 percent in value and 0.1 percent in volume.
Sales by bars decreased by 9 percent in value and 10.7 percent in volume, while ‘miscellaneous eating and drinking places’ saw sales up by 1.6 percent in value, but down 1.7 percent in volume.