Scotland’s shops are set to score from this summer’s spectacle of major sporting events. Fresh research shows Scots are planning to spend more on food and drink whilst watching and cheering on our athletes at the football World Cup, Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games, and European Athletics Championships in Birmingham.
Grocery and food-to-go stores and takeaways are likely to see a lift, as well as electrical and sporting goods retailers alongside those who sell merchandise and souvenirs.
The results are from a new poll of Scottish shoppers undertaken by Scottish Retail Consortium and Opinium. It comes ahead of Scotland’s opening match of the men’s World Cup Finals in Boston on 13 June after the national team qualified for the first time in almost 30 years. The Commonwealth Games get underway in July with the European Athletics Championships being held in August.
The polling found:
11% of Scots plan to spend more on groceries, alcohol, and takeaways to enjoy whilst watching the World Cup and Commonwealth Games
7% plan to host or attend gatherings with family and friends to watch matches
2% plan to purchase official merchandise
Over and above this, 6% of respondents said they hoped to attend the events in person. However, these major sporting events only speak to a little over half of the country, with 45% of Scots saying they weren’t planning any activities in relation to the three events.
It comes after the latest trading monitor from the Scottish Retail Consortium and KPMG found retail sales in Scotland had barely grown over the last twelve months, with monthly retail sales growing by an average 0.4 per cent over the past year.
Commenting on the new research David Lonsdale, Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said:
“Sports fans in Scotland are looking forward to a sparking spectacle of major sporting events this summer and the country’s retailers are hoping this kicks-off a brighter period of trading. This could provide a much needed boon to retailers selling food and drink, sportswear, electricals, merchandise and souvenirs; especially if the likes of footballer Scott McTominay, swimmer Duncan Scott, and runner Laura Muir and their Scotland teammates give fans something to celebrate.”
