The long-awaited Euros tournament represents a significant opportunity for retailers to boost sales across the beer category this summer. Beer and sport go hand in hand for many consumers, and for store-owners, sporting occasions drive mammoth sales within the beer category. We’re predicting 413 million pints of beer will be sold in UK Off Trade this June, equating to an additional 88 million pints.[1]
Televised sport is a huge driver for at-home beer consumption. 2018’s FIFA World Cup, the last big football tournament on our screens, drove the biggest monthly sales in category history.[2] This combined with the popularity of at-home drinking occasions means retailers have a real opportunity to boost sales, and must look to stock up well ahead of kick off.
Neil Baker, Head of Category Management at Budweiser Brewing Group provides advice on how to make the most of the summer of sport:
Stock up on a winning line-up
Brands linked to key football events are lucrative for stores. 68% of England fans think retailers should stock ‘official sponsor’ brands during the tournament, whilst 55% of shoppers are more likely to opt for ‘official sponsor’ brands over their usual beer choices.[3]
There is also a clear correlation between the longer the England team remains in a football tournament and beer sales.[4] Given the England team is among the favourites to win this summer, there’s a real opportunity to boost sales over the course of the tournament.
The Budweiser family will play a big part in maximising this sales opportunity, as the official beers of the England Men’s football team. To help you get into the spirit of the tournament, we’ll be offering a range of in store activations including GWPs, competition and giveaways and POS.
Appeal to new shoppers
It’s not just beer drinkers that will driving sales this summer. Football tournaments bring an influx of new buyers into the beer category and these shoppers tend to opt for known brands.[5] During the 2018 FIFA World Cup the Budweiser Family was a key driver of category growth, growing sales by 52% vs the previous,[6] highlighting their potential around the Euros.
The no and low category is also seeing huge growth, worth £100.5m by the end of 2020, +29.8% YOY.[7] Brand is the most important factor for consumers when deciding which no-and-low product to buy, ahead of calories, ingredients, taste claim, and ABV.[8]
Last year, we launched two new alcohol-free products from our standout brands – Budweiser Zero and Stella Artois Alcohol-Free – to help retailers offer more choice. Since launch, both have proven a hit with consumers, increasing ahead of the total no-and-low market and showing double digit growth.[9] These premium options allow stores to provide alcohol-free variants of market-leading[10] beers that do not compromise on taste or quality. The Budweiser Family is the official beer of the England men’s team and Stella Artois is the official beer of the Wimbledon Championships, so both brands will allow retailers to drive sales during the tournaments, whilst providing a range of options to cater to varying consumer preferences.
Tap into new occasions
Sporting occasions offer a great opportunity for retailers to increase basket spend through food and drink pairings. Food and beer pairings have been gaining in momentum over the last year and three out of five beers are consumed with food.[11] Pairings now represents a £300 million category growth opportunity[12] particularly as we expect the popularity of the at-home occasion to continue this year.
As the official beer of the Wimbledon Championships, Stella Artois will be bringing back its limited-edition Wimbledon packaging this summer. Stores can add Stella Artois to a themed display, alongside Wimbledon staples such as strawberries and cream, and picnic foods to drive cross-category spend.
To maximise sales during the upcoming summer or sport, stock up Budweiser Brewing Group’s much-loved portfolio here: https://budweiserbrewinggroup.co.uk/site/contact/enquiries/
[1] BBG Internal Forecasting; May – August 2021
[2] Kantar Worldpanel; 8 WE July 2018 ?
[3] WAA 2019 (197 Beer Drinking, England Fans)
[4] Kantar Worldpanel 8 WE 15 July 2018
[5] Kantar Worldpanel; 8 WE 15 July 2018
[6] CGA OPMS 10y Archive to April 2019
[7] Nielsen Scantrack data; 52 WE 26 December 2020
[8] NAB Consumer Drivers of Choice research 2019
[9] Nielsen Scantrack data; 13 WE 26 September 2020
[10] Nielsen Scantrack; Total Coverage; YTD WE 28 November 2020
[11] Kantar Alcovision; 52 WE 30 June 2020
[12] Kantar Alcovision; 52 WE 30 June 2020
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