England's World Cup clash with Panama is set to deliver a Super Saturday surge in sales for pubs and shops, with a predicted £425 million boost to the economy. The match, which kicks off at 10pm, is expected to attract 13.3 million viewers as Thomas Tuchel's team seeks a win after a draw with Ghana.
Pubs prepare for record-breaking sales
Pubs are gearing up for an extra 4.5 million pints to be served, despite the late kick-off. This is England's first group match on a weekend, encouraging fans to start early. Dawn Slater, landlady of the Garricks Head in Urmston, Manchester, reported record-breaking sales for previous England games, saying, "It been absolutely amazing - record breaking figures. We had to stop entry for the England games because we were so busy." She predicts selling an extra 50,000 pints if England reaches the final.
Retailers see bumper demand
The Co-op has sold 550 tonnes of ice (275,000 packs) over four days and expects to sell 75,000 pizzas ahead of the match. Tesco forecasts a 60% weekly increase in ice sales, over 48% in ice cream and lollies, and over 44% in barbecue meat. Suncream sales are expected to rise over 72% week-on-week. Asda has sold more than one million ice creams during the heatwave, with sun cream sales up 200% week-on-week and inflatable paddling pools up 400%.
Viewing habits and spending
VoucherCodes.co.uk research indicates 72% of fans will watch from home, leading to £320.9 million in shop sales. Clair Hughes, savings expert at VoucherCodes, said: "It's great to see football fans are continuing to show up in large numbers to cheer on the Three Lions, but as our data shows, they're also being budget-conscious. This World Cup is longer than any other international tournament before, so fans will need to pace themselves both emotionally and financially."
Weather forecast
The weekend is expected to bring temperatures in the late 20s and highs of 30C, with possible heavy rain and storms in some areas after the heatwave. The Met Office forecasts showers, possibly thundery, in the east and southeast on Saturday, with rain in the northwest but sunny spells elsewhere.
Industry calls for support
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: "To mark the end of the heatwave, what could be better than heading down the local to cheer on England. Even with the slightly later kick off time, we're predicting that pubs across the UK will sell an extra 4.5 million pints. We're calling on the Government to keep supporting our brilliant pubs by cutting beer duty to keep pints affordable for all."
