As a leading beverage producer, Coca‑Cola’s sales data each month provides a good indicator of the state of the HoReCa industry: as a result of the pandemic restrictions, their sales in this sector have fallen by exactly half since last year. The gravity of the situation is indicated by the fact that more than 8,200 restaurants or fast food restaurants, buffets, bars, hotels, and boarding houses did not order a single bottle of soft drink during the two months of the restrictions period due to lack of guests.
These highly unusual numbers can finally start to improve now that we’re at the end of the COVID-19 crisis’ first phase: the HoReCa outlets’ closed doors opened again, and their empty tables can fill with life again. With the restrictions lifted, guests are slowly returning to their favorite restaurants, Coca‑Cola can see this in the increase of their order numbers - and they want to support it!
In the first, most severe phase of the pandemic crisis, Coca‑Cola Hungary's goal was to spread health and safety messages to the widest audience possible, in addition to supporting those who got into the most difficult situations. In order to do this, besides providing a wide range of support, the company has donated its brands' social media channels and other advertising spaces to the Hungarian Red Cross – whose work they have helped in the past decade and will continue to do so.
During the rebuilding period, the company is turning to economic players to help the industry most affected by the coronavirus, the HoReCa sector: now that the lockdown is over and restaurants can reopen, Coca‑Cola believes that restaurants most affected by the crisis also need support, as they have had to keep closed in recent months and therefore had no revenue. Summer is upon us, so it’s worth to go to our favorite places or maybe discovering new ones – while not forgetting about the safety regulations* –, to have fun together, and enjoy a delicious meal next to a glass of ice-cold Coca‑Cola.
