Retailers prepare for sales boost ahead of England v Germany

Retailers will be celebrating this morning (24 June) after England’s win over Slovenia yesterday set up a weekend clash with Germany and the promise of a big uplift in sales.

Supermarkets and pubs will be hoping that England’s clash against Germany in the World Cup on Sunday (27 June) will lead to a boost in food and drink sales as the nation’s football fans stock up for the match.

The British Beer and Pub Association said that 3 million people attended English pubs and clubs yesterday for England’s final group game, while Sainsbury’s and Tesco also reported an uplift in sales of World Cup-themed merchandise.

Some British retailers have placed considerable stock in the tournament’s ability to boost sales with England’s fortunes a big factor.

The high street has already seen an increase in sales with the Office for National Statistics reporting earlier this month that sales of electrical goods, particularly TVs, increased by more than expected in May.

Marketers responded to England’s win this morning by running tactical press ads celebrating the team’s qualification. McDonald’s, a World Cup sponsor, invited consumers to do the “Sausage and Egg victory dance”, while beer brand Courage said “Victory on Sunday? Defoe-nitely”, a reference to England’s goalscorer in yesterday’s game.

Internet search analysts Adtech analysed the Internet traffic during yesterday’s game and recorded a drop of up to 35% during the game – slightly higher than the 30% they had predicted. They are forecasting a drop off more than 40% during Sunday’s game.