Pret sales slow in London as infections rise

Demand for Pret A Manger coffee and food fell slightly in London's financial and shopping districts last week, ending several weeks of growth and coinciding with an upturn in Covid-19 infections.

Bloomberg's Pret Index showed that the chain's transactions in the City and Canary Wharf were still near a pandemic high at 86% of pre-Covid-19 levels, indicating that the lunch hour was returning to normal after banks began bringing workers back to their desks. In the West End, sales were higher than they were before the crisis.

The decline also coincided with a rise in sales at London's airports, which might suggest more residents have resumed traveling abroad for business and leisure. At 93% of pre-Covid-levels, the performance in airports was the best this year and was only slightly lower than the pandemic high set in late December.

Sales in London's entertainment and shopping district could benefit from London's warming weather this week, while Pret's business in London's airport terminals has risen for eight consecutive weeks.

Sales in London's suburbs have stayed relatively high over the past three weeks, after a public transport strike compelled some residents to work from home.

Meanwhile, sales in London train stations returned to a pandemic high set in November and were just 1% away from being entirely back to normal.

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