UK Food & Drink Payment Practices: Marginally Above Average, But With Wide Disparities

Payment practices in the UK's food and drink sector in 2024 are a mixed bag, showing only a slight improvement over the national average but revealing significant variations between companies.

The Numbers

• Companies Analysed: 119
• Average PaymentCheck Score: 50.8/100
• UK Average PaymentCheck Score: 50.0/100
• Difference: Food & Drink is 0.8 points above the UK average.

What Stands Out

While the food and drink sector collectively edges out the UK average, the razor-thin margin of 0.8 points suggests payment performance is generally underwhelming. The stark contrast between the top and bottom payers highlights significant internal inconsistencies within the sector.

Best Payers

1. MONSTER ENERGY UK LIMITED - 92.27/100
2. ECOM AGROTRADE LIMITED - 89/100
3. JUSTERINI & BROOKS,LIMITED - 87.7/100
4. MEADOW FOODS LIMITED - 87.2/100
5. MONSTER ENERGY EUROPE LIMITED - 87.2/100

Worst Payers

1. BRIGGS OF BURTON PLC - 20/100
2. KERRY INGREDIENTS (UK) LIMITED - 20.85/100
3. GREENCORE PREPARED MEALS LIMITED - 22.3/100
4. AB INBEV UK LIMITED - 22.6/100
5. TAYLOR SHAW LIMITED - 22.74/100

Regional Patterns

The data reveals some regional differences, but the sample sizes are limited, especially for the "Unknown" and "South West" regions, meaning we need to be cautious about making broad claims. Companies headquartered in London show the highest average PaymentCheck score at 60.4 (25 companies), while the South East reports an average of 53.7 (13 companies). The North West sits at 51.7 (14 companies), closely followed by the South West at 51.3 (5 companies). The two companies in the Unknown location have an average of 69.3, but with such a small sample, it's tough to draw meaningful conclusions.

Suppliers struggling with late payments can use a late payment calculator to assess the potential financial impact.

While the sector is slightly above average overall, the fact that Briggs of Burton PLC is scoring a mere 20/100 compared to Monster Energy UK's 92.27/100 indicates that payment ethics vary dramatically, making due diligence essential for suppliers.