To understand more in detail the contents of this survey, the objectives, expectations and opportunities for professionals, we talk about it with Angela Borghi, TradeLab Key Account Manager & Partner, who dealt with the research work.
What are the objectives of the Report carried out by TradeLab for Gioco News and why do you think it is important for a gaming operator? "With this analysis, we wanted to explore, on the one hand, the current
Food & Beverage offer in venues with the possibility of play and any reasons for not joining it and, on the other hand, to understand how the customers judged it where present or how much they wanted it if not present. The study was carried out before the pandemic and therefore we can say that it is a precious picture of the state that can give useful information now that we find ourselves rethinking the future".
What role does the F&B play and what role can it play within gaming venues, in your opinion as an expert? "The out-of-home consumption of Food & Beverage (excluding its more functional dimension), as well as being a recognized attraction to our country, is characterized by the fact that it gives the consumer an experience. Where present and enhanced in gaming rooms, it can therefore contribute to create an even more complete experience for the consumer. We have seen how over the years the contribution of out-of-home food consumption in Italy has considerably grown, reaching 34 percent of the total in 2019 (it was 29 percent in 2000) and growing by +72 percent in value over the last 20 years. This is the result of socio-demographic changes and lifestyles (more single, fewer families, greater female employment, more intense rhythms, less time to devote to cooking, greater purchase of services than goods...), but above all because eating away from home is an integral part of recreational and experiential activities linked to free time (tourism and sports-shows-entertainment-shopping,…) and moments of socializing, meeting, celebration. Food & Beverage can therefore bring a new and more complete experience to gaming venues and perhaps clear the image of places for a few enthusiasts, by bringing them closer to wider targets, as indeed happens abroad".
What impact has the pandemic had and is it having on out-of-home consumption? Do you think this can/should affect the retail gaming offer? “The pandemic has had a very heavy impact on the world of away from home. It is expected to close the year at around 53 billion, -37 percent compared to the 2019 market value of 85 billion. Furthermore, from our analyzes this impact will also bring a structural change to the business model of the Horeca consumption points. Just think, for example, of digitization, entered at the time of ordering and payment, but also in the greater communication via website, social, e-mail etc. to its customers. In this period, the issue of safety has become very important. These hot topics seen in the away-from-home market may also be reflected in other worlds. For example, also for retail gaming, the ability to assure safety for its customers will become one of the elements to be told and highlighted in one's value proposition, as well as an enhancement of digital tools. Another important aspect for the managers of the Away from home is to recover gratification to their customers by mitigating their fear; in fact, we found from our analyzes that Italians have returned to consume outside the home but are less gratified by this experience than in the past. For retail gaming, the inclusion of Food & Beverage could be a way to improve or recover gratification in customers".
What idea did you have of this sector and what amazed you the most by studying it in these months? “It is a sector that I didn't know very well before this analysis and in which a process of change is underway. We know that a part of the gaming activity now takes place online, so the activity in the physical point may in the future have a greater connotation of a meeting and contact place: the presence of Food & Beverage can therefore become an important asset to create attraction and satisfy customers. I was amazed by the share of female customers that are still not very high but important (about 10 percent) and young people (about 20 percent), the good cultural level (7 percent have university education and 51 percent have a higher average). In general, gaming retail is a sector with certainly interesting turnovers and a good Food & Beverage offer could help to further increase the turnover of the managers, but above all the managers who have already introduced this type of offer have no intention of eliminating or reducing it". To know more: www.gamingfoodebeverage.it