Sales of food and drink at the UK's railway stations are massively outstripping those of the grocery market as a whole.
Like-for-like food and drink sales at Network Rail's 16 largest stations soared by 13% in the first three months of the year compared with the same period last year.
The increase in sales within the supermarket category was the key factor in driving 5.17% growth in like-for-likes across all categories of station retail during the first quarter of 2011.
The results were in stark contrast to the performance of wider high street retail sales. Figures released by the BRC in March showed retail sales were down 1.9%, the worst fall for 16 years.
Figures from Kantar Worldpanel, released this week, showed grocery had grown 4.7% over the past 12 weeks but by just 2.5% in the latest four-week period.
"Our regular travellers want their coffee in the morning and to buy their regular newspaper. This, coupled with people who travel on longer journeys seeing it as a leisure expense, has ensured sales remain high," said Network Rail's head of retail Gavin McKechnie.
Chains included in the figures are M&S Simply Food, Whistlestop and Sainsbury's. Collapsed off-licence chain Threshers is also included, as Select Service Partners bought the rights to use the name in stations last year. However, Network Rail said the brand was being phased out and just two station-located Threshers remained.
The top performing station for food and drink sales was Edinburgh Waverley, where like-for-like sales for the first quarter of 2011 increased 27%.
Over the same period, sales leapt by 20% at Liverpool Lime Street, 18% at King's Cross, 17% at Manchester Piccadilly and 13% at Birmingham New Street.
Network Retail is making 75,000 sq ft available for new retail space at Waterloo, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street and Kings Cross stations over the next three years.
Like-for-like food and drink sales at Network Rail's 16 largest stations soared by 13% in the first three months of the year compared with the same period last year.
The increase in sales within the supermarket category was the key factor in driving 5.17% growth in like-for-likes across all categories of station retail during the first quarter of 2011.
The results were in stark contrast to the performance of wider high street retail sales. Figures released by the BRC in March showed retail sales were down 1.9%, the worst fall for 16 years.
Figures from Kantar Worldpanel, released this week, showed grocery had grown 4.7% over the past 12 weeks but by just 2.5% in the latest four-week period.
"Our regular travellers want their coffee in the morning and to buy their regular newspaper. This, coupled with people who travel on longer journeys seeing it as a leisure expense, has ensured sales remain high," said Network Rail's head of retail Gavin McKechnie.
Chains included in the figures are M&S Simply Food, Whistlestop and Sainsbury's. Collapsed off-licence chain Threshers is also included, as Select Service Partners bought the rights to use the name in stations last year. However, Network Rail said the brand was being phased out and just two station-located Threshers remained.
The top performing station for food and drink sales was Edinburgh Waverley, where like-for-like sales for the first quarter of 2011 increased 27%.
Over the same period, sales leapt by 20% at Liverpool Lime Street, 18% at King's Cross, 17% at Manchester Piccadilly and 13% at Birmingham New Street.
Network Retail is making 75,000 sq ft available for new retail space at Waterloo, Manchester Piccadilly, Birmingham New Street and Kings Cross stations over the next three years.
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