Like For Like
"Drink Sales Suffer Under Scottish Smoking Ban"
Of course upon seeing this article, I immediately opened and read it hoping for something good to write about in my blog. Well suprise suprise, the title is more of a joke than an actual representation of how the author feels about the effects of the smoking ban. This artlice went on and on about "like for like" sales. For those who are unfamiliar, "like for like" sales is a term used to describe the loss of sales because of the smoking ban in contrast/comparison to the sales gained by the smoking ban.
What struck me about this article is the use of "like for like" as the only evidence of the effects of the smoking ban, most of which are positive. The ban meant a decrease in the amount of alcohol sales, but there was a comprable or better increase in food sales. Most of these businesses report that the food sales will even them out or gain them more profit on their expected year end totals.
What intrests me is the fact that not all establishments, in fact not most, have a "like for like" system. Many pubs in Scotland don't sell food, just as many of the bars on our very own 6th Street do not. If a bar/pub isn't selling food, where will the balancing out - the "like for like" - come into play for them?
Moreover, some local bars sold/still attempt to sell cigarettes from behind the counter. They charge a higher cost than the convenience stores (I wasn't happy about that but it was worth the extra convenience) in attempt to gain extra revenue. I would venture to bet that cigarette sales as well as alcohol sales have come down noticably from where they were before the smoking ban. And if there is no food being sold (I've never walked into Jackalope and ordered a pizza or hot dog, nor have I had a hamburger at the Chugging Monkey), how will area bars be able to sustain their profit margins and stay in business?
Of course upon seeing this article, I immediately opened and read it hoping for something good to write about in my blog. Well suprise suprise, the title is more of a joke than an actual representation of how the author feels about the effects of the smoking ban. This artlice went on and on about "like for like" sales. For those who are unfamiliar, "like for like" sales is a term used to describe the loss of sales because of the smoking ban in contrast/comparison to the sales gained by the smoking ban.
What struck me about this article is the use of "like for like" as the only evidence of the effects of the smoking ban, most of which are positive. The ban meant a decrease in the amount of alcohol sales, but there was a comprable or better increase in food sales. Most of these businesses report that the food sales will even them out or gain them more profit on their expected year end totals.
What intrests me is the fact that not all establishments, in fact not most, have a "like for like" system. Many pubs in Scotland don't sell food, just as many of the bars on our very own 6th Street do not. If a bar/pub isn't selling food, where will the balancing out - the "like for like" - come into play for them?
Moreover, some local bars sold/still attempt to sell cigarettes from behind the counter. They charge a higher cost than the convenience stores (I wasn't happy about that but it was worth the extra convenience) in attempt to gain extra revenue. I would venture to bet that cigarette sales as well as alcohol sales have come down noticably from where they were before the smoking ban. And if there is no food being sold (I've never walked into Jackalope and ordered a pizza or hot dog, nor have I had a hamburger at the Chugging Monkey), how will area bars be able to sustain their profit margins and stay in business?
posted by something clever at 1:42 PM
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