Pret A Manger’s rising sales indicate office workers returning to central London

Pret A Manger has reported a 15% weekly sales rise as workers return to offices | Photo credit: Pret A Manger

Pret A Manger has reported a 15% increase in weekly sales, suggesting a return to the city centre for many commuter and office workers. 
 

Further indicating the trend, data analytics firm Springboard said that between 7 September and 10 September 2021, footfall was up 4.9% on the previous week, according to its London office block tracker. 
 

Pret CEO Pano Christou said in a recent interview that he was feeling ‘optimistic’ as store sales in city centres returned to about 80% of pre-pandemic levels. He also noted a ‘significant step up’ at Pret’s airport outlets after an easing of travel restrictions. 
 

The coffee and food-to-go chain’s sales have been severely impacted by low commuter footfall caused by Covid-19 disruption, as its shops are typically located nearby offices and inside travel hubs. 
 

Subsequently, the chain has sought to diversify its business to reach new customers. 
 

In August 2021, Pret announced plans to open 100 franchised and 100 company-operated outlets at neighbourhood locations outside London in a bid to diversify sales. And in July 2021, the chain partnered with creative agency VCCP to improve its digital marketing capabilities.