Comparability

Comparability - geographical

There are no common guidelines for international statistics on foodservice.

Comparability over time

The statistics were first compiled in 2013 and originally covered: - Sales of all food and beverages (including conventional products) in total. - Sales of organic products in total, broken down by product and customer groups.

Later extensions: - As of 2017, sales of all food and beverages are also broken down by customer groups. - As of 2021, sales of all food and beverages are also broken down by product groups.

The composition of the product groups has been revised from 2021 and in several cases cannot be compared with previous years, as the latest division is more detailed (including within Fruit and Vegetables). However, the 5 main product groups (Colonial, Meat and fish, Dairy products and eggs, Fruit and vegetables, Frozen goods) are largely comparable in all years. Change at the main product group level: Vegetable spreads and canned fruit and vegetables have been moved from Colonial to Fruit and vegetables. The census years 2013-2020 are directly comparable in terms of both main and individual product groups.

Coherence - cross domain

Statistics Denmark's statistics Retail turnover of organic food measures the sales of organic food and beverages in supermarkets and department stores. Organic market share in the foodservice sector is described in News from Statistics Denmark Sales of food and beverages to foodservice. Organic market share in retail trade is described in the latest News from Statistics Denmark: Retail turnover of organic food. Retail turnover of organic food and beverages constitutes a higher level than turnover of organic foodservice. The foodservice statistics measure wholesalers' turnover excluding VAT and Retail turnover of organic food measures retail turnover including VAT, so that the level of sales in the two surveys cannot be directly compared. This means: - Sales of goods to foodservice do not include remuneration of employees etc. in the kitchens. The consumption of goods in canteens and catering companies constitutes an average of 37 per cent. of turnover, excluding VAT (HORESTA, Normtalsanalysen 2012/2013). The costs that do not relate to the purchase of goods are wages and similar, premises costs (electricity, water, heating), maintenance, administration, marketing, rent, etc. and profit after costs. - The final value of the meals in foodservice can be considered higher than the purchase of goods, since service (preparation and serving) is part of the product. This is generally not the case for sales in supermarkets and department stores, where the food is brought home for self-preparation. - A significant part of the foodservice customers do not sell the meals on market terms (full or partial subsidization). Composition of sales The product groups in the two studies are composed differently and therefore cannot be compared directly at all levels. However, an overall comparison of the distribution of turnover by product groups has been made in the news release Salg af økologiske varer til foodservice 2013 (in Danish only). In the period 2010-2013, the Organic Sales and Information Association produced the study Organic turnover in foodservice. Methodological experiences from this study are included in Statistics Denmark's study. In terms of content, the two studies are close to each other, but with certain differences in data collection, content and groupings. In Organic turnover in foodservice, the population consisted of 15 companies, which were assumed to cover a large part of the market. Companies without organics were not included in this study.

Coherence - internal

Not relevant for these statistics (data is from the same source).