The latest Hospitality Business Tracker from NIQ and RSM has revealed that like-for-like sales across the UK hospitality sector declined 0.4 percent between April 2025 and 2026, as inclement weather and economic uncertainty impacted customer spending.

Data provided by the country’s leading hospitality operators found that takings across the pub sector dropped 0.2 percent year-on-year – the first drop since January 2025 – while bar sales declined 5.8 percent.

“Hospitality groups’ like-for-like growth has now been below inflation for 12 straight months,” said Karl Chessell, NIQ’s director of hospitality operators and food EMEA. “With key operating costs so high and consumers’ spending restricted yet further by the impacts of high oil prices, trading conditions won’t be getting easier anytime soon.” 

“The confidence of businesses and individuals alike is running low, and pub operators in particular will be hoping for brighter weather to tempt people out and stimulate spending over the summer.”

The restaurant sector saw a modest 0.1 percent uptick in sales, yet the figure is a marked drop from growth of 2.5 percent recorded in March.

“On a total sales basis, including at venues opened in the last 12 months, sales rose by 2.8 percent in April,” reported Propel. “However, this is down from recent months and is below the country’s rate of inflation throughout 2026.”