UEFA Euro 2016's drink windfall could total £200 million

By Erin Smith

Published: 13 June, 2016

With UEFA Euro 2016 kicking off this weekend, drinks retailers could stand to gain an estimated £200 million in additional sales throughout the tournament.

"On paper, England are the more likely British team to make it to the final. The magic combination for drinks retailers in both the off-trade and on-trade channels are big football tournaments in Europe, extended England participation and predictable sunny weather, like we saw in UEFA Euro 1996," said Time Wilson managing director of Wilson Drinks Report.

Wilson estimates are based on analysis done of the FIFA World Cup that was held in 2014, which showed an increase of £56 million in sales in the first three weeks of the tournament when England was still playing. Once England had been knocked out of the tournament sales dropped significantly, according to Wilson.

During the final drinks sales for the FIFA World Cup 2014 overall beers, wines and spirits were up by £15.1 million for the five weeks of the tournament to top £1.1 billion in the UK. Ales and stouts during that timeframe were the big winners with vomunes up 13.4% and value sales were up 5.0% over the five week period.

What is different about Euro 2016 is that both Wales and Northern Ireland are involved which means retitlers have a much bigger fan base to sell to over the next few weeks.

WDR estimates that off-trade drinks retailers are likely to see at the minimum £100 million jump in sales, even if England gets knocked out of the tournament early. However, should England make it to the final Wilson estimates that sales in both the on and off trade will exceed £200 million.

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