More than a quarter of respondents to the most recent Barclays Consumer Spend report said they are more likely to visit a restaurant or bar that offers “healthier” options as part of an apparent health kick inspired by spring. The Barclays Consumer Spend report combines hundreds of millions of customer transactions with consumer research to provide an in-depth view of UK spending. According to the survey, over a quarter (27%) of UK adults plan to focus more on healthy eating as the warmer weather approaches. One in three (30%) say they are paying closer attention to ingredients with 27% saying they’re more likely to visit venues that offer “healthier” options. This percentage increases to 45% for those aged 18-24. Sought-after alternatives include zero-sugar treats (33%), organic or whole foods (29%) and low- or no-alcohol drinks (24%). These findings present fresh opportunities for Booker catering customers to evolve their menus to target this sizeable demand. The report also confirmed that card spending grew in February, albeit by 1%, while all four consumer confidence measures used in the report also improved in February. Confidence in household finances reached the highest level since Barclays started tracking this measure in 2015, at 75% (up from 70% in January). Deregulation call for hospitality Government efforts to cut red tape should be targeted at businesses most over-taxed and over-regulated, like hospitality, says UKHospitality. The Chancellor has announced an action plan to cut the administrative cost of regulation on business, as well as meeting regulators to put the plan into action. Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UKHospitality, said: “A plan to cut red tape and reduce the burden on businesses is long overdue. In sectors like hospitality, businesses have been struggling with too much cost and too many regulations for decades, and it has held back growth. “If we want to kickstart the economy, deregulating those already overstretched sectors should be the focus. This should include a review of upcoming legislation, like the ill-thought-through Extended Producer Responsibility scheme.”