Tue 23rd Aug 2016 - Greene King Tracker – spending on eating and drinking out among households with children sees massive rise in July Greene King Tracker – spending on eating and drinking out among households with children sees massive rise in July: Spending on eating and drinking out among households with children underwent a massive rise during July, according to the latest Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker. The average British household spent £209 on out-of-home leisure, a 2% (£3) increase year-on-year and a marginal (£1) increase month-on-month. While households without children have seen spend on drinking out fall by 9% (£4) month-on-month and remain stable year-on-year, households with children have boosted their spending, rising 32% (£14) month-on-month and 39% (£57) year-on-year. Spending on eating out continued to perform strongly, with an 8% increase year-on-year and a 3% increase on June. The latter was supported by a 19%, or £17, increase in monthly spending by households with children, as families dined out during the school holidays. The 3% (£2) month-on-month decline in spending on other leisure was driven by reduced spending on other live events and – likely in relation to the lack of domestic football and the end of Euro 2016 – a decline in gambling. The huge increase in spend on drinking out in households with children has seen other leisure’s share of spend mix fall by 7% across the UK. In London and the south east, other leisure’s share of spend mix has fallen by 6% year-on-year. The tracker also revealed many British households were worried about the economic impact of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union. Following the result in June, a third of respondents (33%) said they expected their household’s financial situation to be worse this time next year, while only 8% think there will be an improvement in their prospects. This is especially true among younger adults, with 35% of 18 to 34-year-olds admitting to being worried about their future finances. There is also some concern about the wider UK economy, with almost half (47%) of respondents believing it will contract in the next year. Again, this is most keenly felt among younger adults, with 62% of 18 to 24-year-olds and 53% of 25 to 34-year-olds expecting the economy to decline. These percentages were notably higher than those of over-55s, reflecting a pattern of voting seen in the referendum. While economists debate the likelihood of the UK entering recession towards the end of the year, it is clear many households are nervous about the prospect, with 41% of respondents expecting their personal finances to worsen if the economy goes through a sustained downturn. Greene King group marketing director Rob Rees said: “This month’s Greene King Leisure Spend Tracker reveals the uncertainty created by Brexit is worrying Brits of all ages. The impact of Brexit on personal finances is a concern but, in fact, UK adults are more pessimistic about the prospects of the wider economy and the potential threat of recession later this year.”