This followed a 1% fall in May meaning sales were static or negative in four of the first six months of 2025, with April being the only month to deliver real-terms growth.
Mixed weather and tough comparatives with the same month last year when the men’s Euros football tournament was underway impacted sales in June.
The data, which came from the latest CGA RSM Hospitality Business Tracker, also showed for the sixth month in a row, pubs achieved the best growth of the major hospitality segments.
Managed pub groups reported like-for-like sales 1.2% above June 2024 while restaurants saw trading fall fractionally by 0.5%.
Tough half
Bars continued a run of negative numbers with a year-on-year decrease of 5.7% and on-the-go fell by 4%.
Furthermore, the tracker found groups’ sales within the M25 decreased by 1% year on year with sales of those further afield increased slightly by 0.4 meaning trading in the capital lagged the rest of the country for five of the first six months of 2025.
Total sales of groups through all channels including at venues opened by the firms in the past 12 months were 2.8% ahead of the same month last year - a little behind the UK’s rate of inflation.
CGA by NIQ director of hospitality operators and food EMEA Karl Chessell said: “June’s numbers round out a tough first half for hospitality groups.
“They have had to deal with the dual challenge of fragile consumer confidence and a hike in labour costs from April and with inflation ticking up again, the second half of 2025 may be just as challenging.
“Nevertheless, there are some encouraging pockets of growth - especially in pubs where people seem to be spending with a little more confidence.”
Underwhelming results
He added: “Operators will be hoping the rest of the summer brings some brighter weather to help lift the sector back into growth.”
The combination of costs facing operators has meant many have had to close, RSM UK head of hospitality and leisure Saxon Moseley warned.
He said: “June’s underwhelming results continue an unwelcome trend of subdued trading with almost all segments of the market seeing negative like-for-like sales.
“This damaging combination of declining sales and higher operating costs is leading an increasing number of well-known brands to either appoint restructuring advisers, close sites or shut the doors completely.
“With labour costs already at breaking point, recent speculation of increased mandatory employer pension contributions could be the final nail in the coffin unless there is meaningful intervention from the Treasury in October to ease the burden on operators.”
