Consumers 'can't afford to eat out'
04 September 2008
Consumers do not have enough spare cash to eat out in restaurants at the moment, experts have claimed.
Paul Foley, the managing director of discount supermarket chain Aldi, and celebrity chef Phil Vickery said that consumes simply do not have the funds to eat out.
Mr Vickery said: "Even on bog standard chain restaurants that you get in every high street, for a family of four it's still the best part of £100 and people just can't afford to spend that anymore."
He added that prices have increased in restaurants because costs of core products have gone up. And as the prices of utilities such as gas and electricity have also increased, then consumers have less disposable income to spend on going out for meals.
However, Mr Foley suggested that consumers do have a number of alternatives open to them. He noted that consumers have been "bombarded" with celebrity chefs showing them how to cook different meals.
