Pret sales rise above pre-pandemic levels for the first time

Pret A Manger's sales last week rose above pre-pandemic levels for the first time, according to Bloomberg's Pret Index.

The sandwich chain's total transaction volume in UK clusters tracked by Bloomberg's Pret Index – including London's financial districts, airports and West End shopping district, regional towns, northern counties and Scotland – was higher last week than in January 2020 and significantly ahead of its business in the US.

Not all UK clusters were recovering equally, however. Sales in London's suburbs were the strongest, while in the City of London and Canary Wharf financial hubs sales remained slightly below the pre-Covid level as companies and banks allow employees to spend fewer days in the office.

"On average around the country, we're back at the level of business we were at before the pandemic hit," Pano Christou, Pret's chief executive officer said in an interview. "But we know we need to keep pushing in London's business districts and constantly think about new ways to grow our business in those crucial markets."

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