XN000022-1996-09-26 — Page 22

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Provisional statistics of restaurant receipts and purchases

The value of total receipts for the restaurants sector in the second quarter of 1996, estimated at $13 billion, increased by 3% compared with the same quarter in 1995, according to the provisional statistics released today (Thursday) by the Census and Statistics Department.

The value of total purchases of restaurants, estimated at $4.7 billion, increased by 4%.

After discounting the effect of price changes over the period, total restaurant receipts went down slightly by 1% in volume terms. The relevant components of the Consumer Price Index are used for this deflating purpose.

Similar to the Consumer Price Index, both series of value and volume indices of restaurant receipts are rebased with October 1994 to September 1995 as the new base period. As from the reference period of the second quarter of 1996, the value and volume indices of restaurant receipts and their year-on-year rates of change will be published based on the new series.

Compared with a year ago, the total receipts of non-Chinese restaurants and fast food shops rose by 12% and 10% in value respectively. In volume terms, they increased by 7% and 3% respectively.

Meanwhile, the total receipts of miscellaneous eating and drinking places also recorded an increase of 5% in value, but showed virtually no change in volume.

On the other hand, the total receipts of Chinese restaurants recorded a decrease of 2% in value and 5% in volume. Those of bars also went down by 4% in value and 10% in volume.

Comparing with the preceding quarter, and bearing in mind that the comparison is affected by seasonal factors, total receipts for the restaurants sector in the second quarter of 1996 decreased by 5% in value and 6% in volume.

Comparing the first half of 1996 with the same period of 1995, total restaurant receipts rose by 3% in value, but decreased by 1% in volume.

Table 1 presents the revised figures for the total receipts and total purchases of the restaurants sector for the first quarter of 1996 and the provisional figures for the second quarter of 1996.