CGA’s latest consumer research reveals 7 in 10 consumers have visited the On Premise for food in the two weeks to November 2, with over a third having done so for a drink-led occasion.
Visitation to hospitality venues remain high across Canada’s provinces as restrictions continued to ease over recent weeks. 76% of consumers visited the On Premise more or the same amount as usual during this time.
Among the one in five (18%) consumers visiting more often than usual, over 2 In 5 (43%) said this was due to the implementation of vaccine passports. Further to this, the same proportion said it was because friends and family were going out more.
Of the quarter of consumers visiting less regularly over this two-week period, the main barrier as to why is that they haven’t been going out in social groups as often (mentioned by 42%).
An encouraging result from the research is consumer comfort levels and confidence are on the rise. Comfort levels when visiting bars/restaurants with indoor-only seating continues to increase, with two thirds now comfortable doing this, +6pp compared to the last wave of research. This is good news for operators and suppliers as we move closer to the Winter months.
In addition, the introduction of vaccine passports has made the majority of On Premise visitors more comfortable to frequent bars and/or restaurants. There are further opportunities for venues to entice consumers back into making visits. With hockey, football and basketball regular seasons now in full swing, half of consumers said they would be comfortable watching sports games on TV in restaurants and bars.
In the coming weeks. three quarters of consumers plan to visit bars/restaurants for food-led occasions, while 32% plan to visit for a drink—both figures are higher than those recorded last wave.
Matthew Crompton, CGA Client Solutions Director, Americas, said “CGA’s latest consumer data suggests largely positive trends are being experienced for the On Premise. The research shows the channel is recovering from the aftermath of the restrictions imposed by COVID-19 and complimented with rising consumer comfort levels and visitation for food and drink-led occasions, the outlook remains positive for the month ahead. Our latest On Premise User Survey (OPUS) will continue to capture behaviours in the channel to help suppliers and operators navigate their strategy in the coming weeks, into the new year.”
CGA will continue to dive into analysis of understanding changing consumers’ wants and needs from a drinks offering, and how these behaviours have changed from pre-COVID-19.
CGA’s On Premise Impact Report is a consumer research report tracking and reflecting on how consumers currently feel about returning to the On Premise, what provinces can expect as they reopen fully and how the On Premise can position its offering to encourage more visits. Over the dates of October 29 – November 2, CGA surveyed 1,155 respondents in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia and Quebec, who have visited On Premise venues since reopening. Download the latest impact report here.
To learn more about CGA’s consumer reporting and how it can help suppliers and operators understand the demands and habits of target consumers, please contact Matthew Crompton at matthew.crompton@cgastrategy.com
