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Foodservice Traffic Stable to Growing Across the Globe in Second Quarter

Consumer traffic grows the most in Great Britain and declines the steepest in Brazi, per The NPD Group’s CREST study.

For the second quarter of 2016, Great Britain, Australia, France, Japan, and Spain posted foodservice traffic gains and Germany visits held stable compared to the same quarter in 2015, according to The NPD Group. Countries where foodservice traffic declined include China, Canada, Italy, Russia, and the U.S.

Despite some economic uncertainty surrounding its decision to leave the European Union, Great Britain posted the highest gains in consumer traffic, per NPD Group. Britain’s foodservice growth in the quarter ending June was driven by a balanced mix of traffic and average spend per eater increases. In contrast, as it prepared to host the Summer Olympic Games, Brazil couldn’t overcome the country’s economic woes and posted the steepest foodservice traffic decline in all countries tracked by NPD’s CREST foodservice market research.

While morning meal related visits continue to grow, this remains a relatively small day part in terms of traffic share in most global markets and can’t drive overall growth like other meals can, according to NPD. The strongest markets, Australia and Europe, saw growth from all three main day parts of morning meal, lunch, and dinner. In Spain the main day parts are morning meal and PM snack, which is dinner time, and both day parts increased traffic. Japan, China, and the U.S. all showed growth at each country’s peripheral day parts.

“Things are still growing in most of Europe, but our global analysts are wary of their near-term prospects,” said Bob O’Brien, senior vice president, global foodservice at The NPD Group. “Chains are not as broadly strong and main day parts are weak outside of the strongest markets. And, in the U.S., Europe, Russia, and Canada, there is great uncertainty about the direction of the overall environment.”