ME Group advises softer outlook, based on lower consumer confidence

GaryPageau ,
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ME Group International plc, the self-service equipment company based in France, is expecting softer results for the remainder of the fiscal year, which it believes is largely attributable to a shift in consumer spending patterns driven by lower consumer confidence due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Photo ME kiosks

As noted in the 2025 Annual Results published on 23 March 2026, the group started FY 2026 in line with expectations, and the operational business continued on this trajectory through the majority of H1 2026. Business softened in April, particularly in the French photobooth and laundry businesses.

Group revenue in H1 2026 grew by 2%. The photobooth business was impacted by reduced demand for official photo ID amid ongoing travel uncertainty, with Photo.ME revenue down 17% in April compared with a decline of 6% in H1 2026., the company said. Wash.ME, the Group’s higher-margin business, was also impacted in April by a decline in consumer spending, with revenue in April up only 3% compared with an increase of 17% in H1 2026 overall. Revenue from the sale of equipment in H1 2026 was down 14% compared with the same period last year, reflecting the Company’s focus on operating instant-service equipment.

While there has been an improvement in trading through May, the Board does not expect trading patterns to normalise while conflict in the Middle East and the subsequent uncertainty in the macroeconomic landscape continue. Consequently, the Board is taking a more cautious view to the full-year outlook, and it now expects FY 2026 profit before tax to be in the range of £69 million to £74 million.

 

Written by 

Gary Pageau is principal of InfoCircle LLC, continuing his marketing communications career. InfoCircle LLC is a marketing and communications consulting firm, specializing in business-to-business markets. For nearly 25 years, he was with PMA International, serving most recently as Publisher, Content Development and Strategic Initiatives. His primary responsibilities included overseeing the Association’s editorial department, marketing research unit, education and corporate relations department.