This summer’s World Cup could give a boost to retailers’ profits during the tournament if it sees a similar increase in shopper numbers witnessed during Euro 2004, according to a new study.
The report by FootFall, an Experian company, showed that during Euro 2004 there were week-on-week rises in retail footfall of up to 10.8% before England matches.
England’s game against Croatia saw a week-on-week rise of 6.5%.
The game against Switzerland was the only to have a negative effect on retail sales, which fell by 5.3% in the run up to the game.
Retails sales tended to increase after a success for the England team, as shoppers forget about debt and personal finance issues and celebrate.
Major sporting events traditionally create an increased demand for expensive items such as flat-screen TVs and particular food and drink, such as beer and BBQ food.
Spokesperson for FootFall Natasha Burton, said: “After studying the effects on retail of previous high-profile sporting events such as Euro 2004, we see the World Cup as a real opportunity for the retail sector to change its fortunes. While retailers saw drops in footfall of up to -5.3% during the key England matches of Euro 2004, the massive increases in shopper numbers in the days running up to each game more than covered the losses.”
