The European restaurant industry is showing mixed signals in Q2025 1: according to Circana, spending increased by 0,7% in the five main European markets, but against a contraction in traffic of -XNUMX%. Growth was driven by higher prices and higher average spend per visit, in a context made difficult by inflation, geopolitical tensions and changing consumer habits.
“The sector is becoming more competitive, but there are common growth areas in Europe that offer opportunities for the most reactive operators,” said Edurne Uranga, VP Foodservice EMEA at Circana. Among these, digital channels stand out, such as delivery and Click & Collect, which now represent 7% of total traffic and are growing by +7%. Dinners are performing better than the rest of the occasions (+1%), as are promotions (+2%), now present in 42% of transactions.
The return to the office and school has generated a modest increase in visits to company and school canteens (+0,3%), while lunches and dinners are down -1,5%, in favor of breakfasts and snacks. “The consumer carefully selects where and what to consume. The number of products purchased per occasion is decreasing, penalizing side dishes and drinks, while only inexpensive items such as coffee, baked goods and sweet snacks are growing,” explained Matteo Figura, Foodservice Executive Director of Circana Italia.
On the beverage front, the new highway code that limits alcohol consumption before driving has had a negative impact: wholesale sales fell by -4% in the first two months of the year, with beer and spirits in sharp decline (-8,6% and -8,0% respectively).
