• 1.3m consumers plan to tune into the stage from hospitality venues, generating £17.8m worth of sales
• Hospitality venues set to make £10.6m in drinks sales alone
Retail and hospitality sales are predicted to reach £79m during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Round of 16, kicking off Saturday 5th August, a new report reveals.
Forecasts from the Women’s World Cup 2023 Spending Report VoucherCodes.co.uk, suggest that 6.6m supporters around the UK will tune into the first knockout round of the tournament
Of the total viewers, 5.3m (80%) are set to watch from the comfort of their own homes. As the tournament is being held in Australia and New Zealand, fans are presented with plenty of early starts, meaning only 1.3m (20%) people are estimated to watch the competition from their local pub, bar or restaurant.
As a result, retail spend is set to far outweigh spending in hospitality venues. Throughout the Round of 16, retailers can expect to see 4.1m shoppers through their doors, generating £61.2m in predicted sales. Following in the footsteps of the group stage, retail spending on food and drink is predicted to reach £41.4m, as fans look to stock their fridges ahead of the next stage of the competition.
Stores are also set to make £8.1m on sportswear, £5.6m on electronics, £3.3m on merchandise, and £2.8m on decorations as consumers prepare to watch the first set of knockout games.
Despite most fans set to watch from home due to the early kick-off times of the games, the hospitality sector is still set to welcome sales of £17.8m as 1.3m fans brave a morning trip to their local pub, bar or restaurant. Breaking this down further, UK hospitality venues are expected to make £10.6m from drinks sales and £7.2m from food sales.
Maureen McDonagh, SVP International & Managing Director at VoucherCodes.co.uk commented:
“Despite consumers being increasingly cautious with their money due to the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and early kick-off times, it’s encouraging to see over one million consumers are still planning on soaking up the atmosphere in pubs and other venues.
“There are plenty of ways hospitality venues can take advantage of the first knock-out stage and entice customers to their pubs, bars, and restaurants. Giving customers value for money has never been more important, so offering discounts on food and drink during the matches will allow businesses to capitalise on the excitement of the tournament.
“Women’s football has gained a strong family following, so marketing your venue as family friendly, with deals on food for adults and children will also let fans know they can bring their family along to enjoy the matches, and get more people through your doors. ”
