* 17 weeks to Aug 30 comparable sales up 4.6 percent
* 17 weeks to Aug 30 comparable food sales up 8.1 percent
* Warns of pressure on consumer spending
* Shares up 4.1 percent (Adds analyst comment, shares, background)
By Matt Scuffham
LONDON, Sept 8 (Reuters) - Greene King, Britain's fourth-biggest pubs company, said strong appetite for pub food had pushed sales up sharply in the first four months of its financial year, lifting its shares on Tuesday.
Greene King, which has about 2,400 pubs in England and Scotland, said like-for-like sales at managed pubs in England grew by 4.6 percent in the 17 weeks to Aug. 30.
Pubs with a strong food offering were the best performers, benefiting from like-for-like food sales rising by 8.1 percent.
The company's Belhaven managed pubs in Scotland saw like-for-like sales growth of 10.9 percent.
Deutsche Bank analyst Geof Collyer said the performance had been "very robust", adding that a decline in operating margin of less than 100 basis points over the period was 50-60 basis points better than his forecast.
Managed pubs have generally outperformed tenanted pubs across the industry throughout the consumer downturn, benefiting from greater flexibility for pricing and promotional activity.
Average earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) at the group's 1,500 tenanted pubs, which accounted for just over a third of earnings last year, fell by 7.2 percent.
Shares in Greene King, which have outperformed the FTSE All Share Travel & Leisure Index by 20 percent since the start of the year, were up 4.1 percent to 500 pence at 0900 GMT, having earlier been as high as 504 pence.
Greene King said it was cautious over the outlook for the industry and wider economy, and expected sales growth to moderate in the second-half due to tougher year-on-year comparatives.
"The consumer recovery is fragile and there are numerous risks to current levels of consumer spending, particularly for the second half of our financial year, including rising unemployment and taxes, slowing wage growth and increasing debt repayments," it said in a statement ahead of Tuesday's annual shareholders meeting.
Britain's pubs have had a torrid couple of years as a smoking ban, the recession, hikes in beer taxes, poor weather and cheap alcohol offers in supermarkets have kept drinkers at home.
Britain's biggest pub operator, Punch Taverns, said in August it was on track to meet full-year expectations as it benefited from price cuts, promotions, and new food menus, but added there was little sign of demand improving as recession-hit shoppers cut back on drinking and eating out.
Rivals JD Wetherspoon, Mitchells & Butlers, Enterprise Inns , and Marston's are due to give trading updates later in September. (Editing by Rupert Winchester)