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Pizza Express Case Study
How PizzaExpress combined huq footfall with sales data to benchmark stores, validate investment and optimise its UK portfolio.
The Challenge
PizzaExpress needed to understand whether each store's performance was driven by internal operations or by the vitality of its local market. Sales figures alone could not show whether a location lacked demand or was failing to convert an otherwise strong opportunity.
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Separate store from market
Identify whether underperformance came from local footfall conditions or internal operational issues.
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Benchmark the estate
Compare stores consistently against the customer activity and vitality surrounding each location.
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Validate investment decisions
Use external evidence to support refurbishment, relocation, disposal and new-location choices.
The Solution
huq provided a live behavioural intelligence layer that unified movement trends, catchment visibility, and district benchmarking into a single platform.
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Movement Intelligence
Live visibility into visitor activity and engagement patterns.
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District Benchmarking
Compare commercial performance across multiple urban environments.
Store Portfolio Optimisation
Benchmark location performance to guide investment, refurbishment, relocation and expansion decisions.
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Catchment Analysis
Postcode-level insight into visitor origins and regional movement.
PizzaExpress combined huq footfall with sales data to benchmark stores, validate investment and optimise its UK portfolio.
huq delivered monthly footfall metrics for PizzaExpress locations across the UK, covering activity in and around each store. Combining these measures with internal sales data created a more complete view of store performance and market opportunity.
Case study highlights
- Market context: Passing footfall, nearby activity and local vitality provided an external baseline for sales.
- Performance diagnosis: Strong footfall with weak sales highlighted potential operational issues, while low footfall indicated market constraints.
- Portfolio benchmarking: Senior teams could compare sales, footfall and store performance through monthly reporting.
- Investment validation: Evidence supported decisions about refurbishments, relocation, disposal and expansion.
The partnership gave PizzaExpress a faster, more objective way to allocate resources and optimise its diverse store portfolio.
Results & Operational Impact
With huq first clients achieve significantly stronger visibility into commercial demand, engagement growth, and estate performance.
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Faster leasing evaluations
Improved understanding of real-world commercial demand
Stronger investment confidence
Behavioural intelligence supported more evidence-led decisions
Improved district visibility
Teams benchmarked engagement across multiple locations
Better recovery tracking
Live movement signals replaced delayed reporting cycles
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huq's mobility location data enabled JD Sports to refine customer catchment analysis, optimise store network performance and make data-driven expansion decisions, reducing risk and enhancing strategic growth.
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Empowering strategic teams with the world's most accurate and accessible location intelligence.
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