English pubs and shops gear up for Euro 2024 final bonanza
12/07/2024 07:00
By James Davey and Radhika Anilkumar
LONDON, July 12 (Reuters) - English pubs, supermarkets
and restaurants are set for a weekend bonanza as fans prepare to
tune in to watch England play Spain in the final of the Euro
2024 soccer championship in Germany and before that the
Wimbledon tennis men's singles final in London.
The events will provide a much-needed fillip to the
hospitality and retail sector after wet weather meant a subdued
start to summer trading.
Items from beer, wine and snacks, barbecue food and pizzas
to large screen TVs and England shirts, are being snapped up
ahead of the major sporting weekend, supermarkets Tesco
TSCO.L , Sainsbury's SBRY.L and Asda said and data from Adobe
showed.
Sainsbury's, Britain's No. 2 grocer, forecast weekend beer
sales would increase 200% year-on-year, with sales of sparkling
wine and ready-to-drink cocktail cans both up 30%.
Britain's third-biggest supermarket Asda has sold over
20,000 large screen ultra-high-definition TVs during Euro 2024,
with more sales expected ahead of Sunday, it said after England
beat the Netherlands 2-1 in the semi-final on Wednesday thanks
to a dramatic last minute winner.
England face Spain on Sunday for a chance to become the
first England men's team to win a major tournament since the
1966 World Cup and the first on foreign soil.
A spokesperson for JD Sports JD.L said its England
merchandise sales jumped over six-fold for the semi-final,
having already risen by almost three times around last
Saturday's quarter final victory on penalties against
Switzerland.
Data from Adobe forecast England fans' spending on team
merchandise will have spiked by as much as 1,500% above normal
levels the day after the semi-final.
British pubs and bars are set for a 120 million pound ($155
million) sales boost from the final, trade body UKHospitality
said.
Britain's biggest supermarket group Tesco said it would shut
its more than 1,800 Express stores across England early on
Sunday to allow its staff to get home or to the pub in time for
the kick-off at 1900 GMT.
"Based on our learnings from England reaching the final last
time round (in 2021), and also from increasing demand through
this tournament, we have a well-rehearsed supply plan in place
to make sure all our stores are stocked for the extra demand,"
Jason Binks, store ordering manager at Tesco, said.
The Wimbledon women's final will take place on Saturday
afternoon and the men's final will start at 1300 GMT on Sunday.
Surveys published on Tuesday showed British consumer
spending contracted in June, with wet weather hitting sales of
key seasonal items. However, the consumer outlook is improving,
with lower UK inflation, rising real living standards and the
promise of a period of political stability with a new Labour
government.
Young & Co Brewery YNGa.L said its pubs were "nearly"
fully booked but it still had the option for walk-ins and
London-based Fullers had seen a jump in advance bookings.
A Domino's Pizza Group DOM.L spokesperson said the group
was stocking up on its cheese & tomato and pepperoni pizzas and
will be offering a 50% discount on web and app orders from
Friday through to Sunday.
Not all retailers will be happy though. Away from the
supermarkets spending could be compressed as people stay at home
ahead of the match instead of visiting the high street, shopping
centres and retail parks.
($1 = 0.7741 pounds)
(Reporting by James Davey in London and Radhika Anilkumar in
Bengaluru; Writing by Yadarisa Shabong; editing by David Evans)
((Yadarisa.Shabong@thomsonreuters.com; +91 9742735150;))