Euro 2020: Fever pitch

This summer’s mega event is football’s Uefa European Championships, which are taking place a year late because of the pandemic and are being staged in several cities across Europe including London’s Wembley Stadium from 11 June to 11 July.

The month-long sporting extravaganza is serving up a three-fold sales opportunity for convenience operators because England, Scotland and Wales are all involved.  The big game for the home nations is undoubtedly England against Scotland on 18 June, which will spark a sales surge in convenience outlets on both sides of the border. The sales impact will be amplified if key games coincide with periods of hot weather.

Brand promotion
Brewers have been aware of the pulling power of such events for many years and have already started promoting key lager brands. Many other companies in categories including soft drinks, wine, snacks and confectionery are now also aware of the sales impact such tournaments can have and are targeting the Euros.

Offering an extensive range of chilled drinks with more focus on bigger packs will help ensure a successful tournament for retailers and some may opt to get into the spirit of the event by offering themed displays and food and drink pairings. The beauty of such tournaments is that retailers know when important matches for their shoppers are taking place and can stock up with key brands accordingly.

Sporting action
Soft drinks are likely to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of next month’s sporting action. Amy Burgess, senior trade communications manager at Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP), says: “Summer sporting events have always played an important part in retailers’ calendars and this year we expect the opportunity to be bigger than ever. Many of the events we looked forward to were cancelled or postponed last year, which means consumer anticipation has been building.

This presents a big opportunity for retailers to grow their sales as shoppers continue to recreate the match-day experience at home. Colas are top contributors to soft drinks growth during football events and with Coca-Cola remaining the biggest cola brand in Great Britain, it is well placed to drive sales. Soft drinks help to bring social sporting occasions to life. Colas, flavoured carbonates, mixers and energy drinks – especially those from leading brands – all have an important part to play.”

Official sponsors
Jessica Markowski, wholesale sales director at Budweiser Brewing Group, says: “Televised sport is a huge driver for at-home beer consumption. The 2018 Fifa World Cup, the last big tournament on our screens, drove the biggest monthly sales in category history. The Budweiser family will play a big part in maximising this sales opportunity as the official beer of the England team.

Brands linked to key football events can be lucrative for retailers, as 55% of shoppers are more likely to opt for ‘official sponsor’ brands over their usual choices. Merchandising food and drink pairings together in-store will help retailers tap into lucrative cross-category spend this summer. Three out of five beers are now consumed with food, so retailers can appeal to new customers by highlighting popular combinations around the Euros.”

Kevin Fawell, off-trade sales director at Molson Coors Beverage Company, points out that lager is the “engine room” of the beer category, accounting for 31% of sales – so retailers must give it the shelf space it deserves. “Carling remains the number one lager brand in Great Britain. Carling and football have been synonymous for years, making it a go-to lager for many fans to enjoy.”

Carling has already kicked off its promotional push by offering limited edition Umbro football shirts in an on-pack drive running since last month. Fawell’s tournament advice for retailers is to “pay attention to your best sellers for sporting events, making plenty of space for brands with specific appeal to consumers looking to stock up for the tournament and ensure these are visible”.

Come together
Nick Williamson, marketing director of the Campari Group UK, says: “Occasions such as the Euros are a fantastic opportunity for consumers to come together at-home to celebrate and enjoy the games outside. These occasions lend themselves perfectly to cocktails and refreshing serves that are great for sharing – presenting an opportunity for retailers to create engaging displays to inspire shoppers.”

By Martin Geary