XN000022-1984-06-03 — Page 5

SUNDAY, JUNE 3, 1984

AT 99 IN THE FIRST QUARTER THE VOLUME INDEX (WITH 100 AS THE QUARTERLY AVERAGE OF 1982) OF RECEIPTS OF CHINESE RESTAURANTS DROPPED TO 85 IN THE SECOND QUARTER, BUT ROSE TO 99 IN THE THIRD AND TO 109 IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

A SIMILAR PATTERN WAS OBSERVED FOR BARS. STARTING AT 91 IN THE FIRST QUARTER, THEIR VOLUME INDEX OF RECEIPTS DROPPED TO 77 IN THE SECOND, BUT INCREASED TO BO IN THE THIRD AND TO 96 IN THE FOURTH QUARTER.

ON THE OTHER HAND, TOTAL RECEIPTS OF OTHER EATING AND DRINKING PLACES (COMPRISING HERB TEA SHOPS, CREAMERIES AND CATERING OUTLETS SELLING BEAN CURD JELLY, ETC.) WERE FOUND TO PEAK AROUND THE MIDDLE OF 1983, WITH VOLUME INDEXES STANDING AT 104 IN BOTH THE SECOND AND THIRD QUARTERS. ITS VOLUME INDEXES FOR THE FIRST AND FOURTH QUARTERS WERE 87 AND 90 RESPECTIVELY.

NON-CHINESE RESTAURANTS AND FAST FOOD SHOPS RECORDED THE SMALLEST VOLUME INDEXES IN THE FIRST QUARTER (96 AND 98 RESPECTIVELY), AND THE HIGHEST VOLUME INDEXES IN THE THIRD (106 AND 119 RESPECTIVELY).

THE VOLUME INDEXES OF RECEIPTS OF NON-CHINESE RESTAURANTS WERE 101 IN THE SECOND QUARTER AND 103 IN THE FOURTH. THE CORRESPONDING INDEXES OF FAST FOOD SHOPS WERE 109 AND 108.

THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT CONDUCTED A SERIES OF QUARTERLY SURVEYS OF RESTAURANT RECEIPTS AND PURCHASES IN 1983, COLLECTING DATA RELATING TO 1982 AND EACH QUARTER OF 1983. A DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE OBJECTIVE OF THE SURVEY WAS TO PROVIDE AN INDICATOR OF CURRENT ECONOMIC TRENDS IN GENERAL AND CONSUMER SPENDING IN RESTAURANTS IN PARTICULAR, AND TO PROVIDE DATA FOR NATIONAL ACCOUNTS ESTIMATION.

TABLE 1 PRESENTS THE 1982 AND 1983 FIGURES FOR TOTAL RESTAURANT RECEIPTS AND TOTAL PURCHASES OF THE ENTIRE RESTAURANT SECTOR.

TABLE 2 SHOWS THE VALUE AND VOLUME INDEXES OF TOTAL . RESTAURANT RECEIPTS FOR EACH TYPE OF RESTAURANT AND THE ENTIRE RESTAURANT SECTOR RESPECTIVELY.

THE SURVEY REPORT IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, CONNAUGHT PLACE, HONG KONG AT $2 PER COPY.

ENQUIRIES ON THE PUBLISHED SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE WHOLESALE-RETAIL TRADE STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT AT TELEPHONE 3-7216024.

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