England's World Cup quarter-final against Norway is expected to generate a near half-billion pound sales increase for the UK economy, as fans drink 9.3m pints, order takeaways, and splash out on new TVs, according to an estimate from GlobalData on behalf of VoucherCodes.co.uk.
Hospitality Sector to Reap Rewards
The hospitality sector is expected to make £27.5m from pouring an extra 5.5m pints on Saturday, according to the British Beer & Pubs Association (BBPA). Venues staging ticketed watch parties have reported selling out within hours of England's thrilling 3-2 victory over Mexico in the last 16.
Matt Snell, chief executive of Boxpark, said each match could be worth £500,000 in sales of tickets, drinks, and food. "If we reach the final, it'll be as big as Christmas and the whole month of December for us," he said. Tickets for the quarter-final at Boxpark Wembley sold out by lunchtime on Monday.
Norwegian Pub Expects Boost
The Kenton Arms in London, a social hub for the Norwegian diaspora, expects a majority of Norwegians among its patrons. Owner Egil Johansen said, "I think it'll be a majority of Norwegians, maybe 70:30 or 80:20." The pub reached its capacity of 200 before kick-off against Brazil, and Johansen noted, "It's 100% an extra boost for us this year."
Retail and Takeaway Surge
Retailers are also benefiting, with TV sales up 23% year-on-year at AO.com throughout June. Overnight orders on Deliveroo nearly doubled during the England-Mexico match, with sparkling wine and popcorn orders nearly tripling before kick-off. Tesco's Whoosh delivery service recorded one of its busiest-ever days, with ice-cream sales surging 64% and lager rising 44%.
The overall uplift in sales across the UK economy during the quarter-finals is projected to reach £493.6m, with £385m linked to the England-Norway game, according to GlobalData. Of that, £280m is forecast for retailers and £105m for hospitality.
Fan Zones and Cinemas Cash In
Outdoor fan zones and indoor venues are both seeing high demand. The Co-op Live venue in Manchester sold out its 2,000-capacity fanzone in 48 hours. Cinema chains including Vue and Picturehouse are also showing the game alongside summer blockbusters.
Mobile operator O2 data showed food delivery app traffic up 169% before kick-off, while iPlayer traffic was 24,581% above normal at 4am as fans tuned in for the final whistle. Uber experienced a 192.6% spike in traffic after full-time, indicating a trend towards watch parties.
