Just Eat’s half-year results coincide with coronavirus restrictions lifting

Households have been hungry for takeaways during the pandemic, as lockdowns have forced us all to stay indoors. 

But as restrictions start to lift in many western countries, a key question is whether this insatiable appetite will keep on growing – or shrink again as economies reopen. 

That will be on the minds of investors as they pore over Just Eat Takeaway.com’s half-year results on Tuesday. 

The firm is Britain’s biggest food delivery giant, but is jostling for dominance with rivals Deliveroo and Uber Eats. 

And this week, results from Deliveroo seemed to show that the pandemic takeaways boom continued in the first half of this year. 

But in an ominous sign for the sector, the firm warned that the recent rapid growth was expected to ‘moderate’ in the second half of 2021. 

Figures also showed the company’s pace of sales expansion had already slowed from the first to second quarters. 

In recent years, Just Eat has sought to bolster takeaway sales from independent restaurants by also partnering with bigger brands such as McDonald’s and KFC. 

Analysts will be on the look out for any clues as to Just Eat’s future intentions, as well as for signs about how much it thinks pandemic trends will persist. 

They expect the firm to post full-year revenues of £3.7billion in 2021 – compared to £2billion a year previously – so will also be watching for signs this is still on track. 

On Friday Just Eat shares rose 1.3 per cent, or 79p, to 6180p.