Summer in the UK doesn’t just bring sunshine – it brings the sound of drums, the scent of street food, and the unmistakable buzz of festival crowds. From city carnivals to countryside music fests, these vibrant gatherings present an unmissable opportunity for convenience retailers to supercharge footfall and basket spend.
Carnivals, music festivals, and arts events can deliver huge boosts in sales for nearby convenience stores. These events draw tens or even hundreds of thousands of attendees, turning local retailers into mini high-street heroes for a weekend.
For instance, the Notting Hill Carnival – Europe’s largest street festival – reportedly injects over £396 million annually into London’s economy, with spending pouring into food, shopping, and entertainment.
At Glastonbury 2023, over 140,000 attendees generated an estimated £1.6m in spending in the wider Somerset community with half of it in local shops and supermarkets. Add to that £900,000 from the crew and another £500,000 from volunteers, and it’s clear, festivals don’t just bring music, they also bring money.
The Reading Festival reportedly brings millions to Reading’s town-centre businesses including retail outlets and hospitality venues, clearly reflecting how festival crowds translate directly into higher store revenues.
Even smaller events drive momentum. Morecambe’s 2024 Baylight arts festival lit up footfall for local businesses, proving that when the lights go up, so do the sales.
And with the UK festival scene on track to surpass pre-pandemic levels, it’s time retailers tapped into the rhythm. While not every store sits right next to a venue, the scale and spread of events across the country means most will feel the impact, whether through passing footfall, last minute pit-stops, or local celebratory energy.
According to CGA, total consumer spend at UK festivals is nearly £200 million annually, with attendees shelling out an average of £32.27 per day on alcohol and £23.71 on food. A significant chunk of this spending happens off-site, with festival-goers frequently stocking up before or between performances.
Independent retailers in festival zones often recount the weekend rush with crowds hunting for snacks, drinks, ice, or sunscreen in frenzy. Even major chains like Tesco get in on the action, giving their stores a Carnival-style makeover with palm trees, upbeat music, and themed deals.
This is a cue that independent retailers can borrow and adapt. Even small touches like extra stock of cold drinks, street food, and culturally relevant items (flags, face paint) can make a big difference.
At rural festivals, local stores have an opportunity to become a lifeline for campers. In 2022, the on-site Co-op pop-up at Glastonbury showed how even temporary setups with shelf-ready packaging and pallet drops can meet high-volume needs efficiently.
What festival-goers buy
Festivals create a distinct shopping pattern: high impulse, high volume, high spirits. Retailers should consider positioning their range accordingly.
Snacks fly off shelves – crisps, popcorn, nuts, chocolate, ice cream – the works. Cold drinks (especially bottled water, energy drinks, and cider) are essentials. Unsurprisingly, drinks are the top-selling category. On hot summer event days, attendees often seek bottled water, soft drinks, energy drinks and beer/cider.
And because venue prices are steep, many festival-goers are likely to seek out local stores for their alcohol needs.
Retailers should look to build beer mountains, use prominent water displays, and create eye-catching promotions.
Many festival-goers buy alcohol from local shops to avoid high venue prices with beer, cider, pre-mixed cocktails and cheap wine often seen in high demand.
And stocking the bestselling brands always helps. Just like HEINEKEN UK’s bestselling formats namely Cruzcampo 10x440ml, Birra Moretti 12x330ml, and Heineken 4x440ml multipacks.
Reflecting on the consumer trends, Alexander Wilson, Category and Commercial Strategy Director at HEINEKEN UK, says, “Single packs are ideal for grab-and-go and summer festival moments, and small-sized multipacks are a popular, accessible choice for those who are looking to share with friends and walking to their local store.”
“For retailers who want to build a strong range of world beers which cater to those occasions, our bestselling small world lager packs include Birra Moretti 4x440ml and Desperados 4 pack can.”
And it’s not just about what’s sold, but how it’s stored, implying products should be chilled where possible.
For cider, Strongbow Dark Fruit 10x440ml packs are the bestselling flavoured cider within the impulse channel, followed by Strongbow Original 10x440mland Strongbow Dark Fruit 4x568mlpacks.
Wilson tells Asian Trader, “These are all year-round favourites and bring the most sales value though all channels.
“Retailers should stock up well in advance to ensure they are fully prepared ahead of the summer trading period.”
The summer months see strong growth of berry and exotic flavoured ciders, with berry-flavoured cider SKUs accounting for 24.3 per cent of overall cider sales, including mainstream and premium options.
Therefore it is wise to keep a good quantity of Strongbow Original and Strongbow Dark Fruit, as well as the latest flavour variant Strongbow Strawberry.
Premium world lager brands perform incredibly well during the summer, accounting for 25 per cent of category sales and continuing to grow year-on-year.
This growth shows consumers’ growing desire to discover new tastes, especially when coming together for summer celebrations such as barbecues or festivals.
HEINEKEN's New Strongbow Strawberry
Wilson says, “For retailers looking to capitalise on this and venture into the premium segment, we recommend building on their core range of classic lager brands with a range of world beers, which will facilitate trade-up and a bigger basket spend overall.
“Leveraging well-known brands that consumers recognise and trust, and which continue to grow, such as Birra Moretti and Cruzcampo, is always a great place to start.”
HEINEKEN UK introduced two new variants under its booming Inch’s Cider brand. Inch’s Cloudy (ABV four per cent) and the first de-alcoholised cider in the UK market, Inch’s 0.0, are now available across the grocery, wholesale and convenience channels.
Available in 4x440ml multipack cans, Inch’s 0.0 is a first of its kind, adopting the same thirst-quenching flavour as the original, with a fresh apple aroma in the form of a lightly sparkling cider
Inch’s Cloudy is a lightly sparkling, naturally cloudy cider, crafted with juicy British apples to create a crisp, highly refreshing and light summer staple. Available in 4x440ml and 10x440ml multipacks, the off-trade exclusive aims to appeal to younger cider drinkers.
Old Mout has expanded its range of premium ciders with the introduction of Old Mout Mango & Passionfruit. Available across the grocery, wholesale and convenience channels, the new flavour is rolling out in 10x330ml cans and single 500ml bottle formats with an ABV of four per cent.
It goes without saying that beers and lager and especially cider in the summer season are the go-to refreshments for all-day festivals. Wine and cocktails are becoming more practical as the RTD revolution rolls on.
Stocking sponsor and related brands also helps. Brother’s Cider, for example, has been associated with the king of festivals, Glastonbury, for many years.
Shots also go down extremely well at these high-spirited gatherings, and Jägermeister is taking advantage of its ice-cold credentials to boost the festival season with a series of arctic activations.
Sales of energy drinks, isotonic sports drinks, bottled smoothies, and vitamins surge as tired festival-goers look to rehydrate and re-energize.
Apart from stocking best-selling soft drinks like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, and their respective sugar-free variants like Diet Coke and Pepsi Max along with other popular choices like Fanta, Sprite, Dr Pepper and Irn-Bru, it is always a good idea to keep the newly launched products as well.
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Consider new launches like the new range of price-marked packs of Radnor Splash, Tropicana’s new Fresh & Light range, Yazoo’s new look Inspiration range, Mogu Mogu zero sugar range and emerging brands like Hive Mind.
Keep a full stock of energy drinks as well. A good collection of well-established brands (along with their NPDs) like Red Bull, Monster, Lucozade, Boost, Rockstar, Relentless, and newer entrants like Prime help keep the store buzzing with the young festival goers.
Not to forget the no and low-alcohol ranges. Apart from Heineken 0.0, retailers should also give some shelf space to Guinness 0.0, Lucky Saint, Lyre's Italian Spritz and Gordon's Alcohol Free as well.
Snacks and essentials
For retailers, festivals and carnivals in the vicinity are more about prepping up right so that the stores have everything festival goers ask for.
Local stores continue to be their go-to destination when looking for something to munch on or a quick meal. The snacking and food to go range both need to be well-thought of, wholesome and should be available in a wide price points.
Healthier Snacking is on the rise as consumers remain health-conscious and the category adapts to HFSS legislation.
KP Snacks’ popchips is rated as the number one “Better for You” bagged snack brand in the sharing pack format. Coming in at under 100 calories per serving and with a third less fat than the market leader, popchips provides a more permissible snack without compromising on big flavour.
Tyrrells 150g Sharing bags are also a great option. Apart from popular and bestselling crisp brands, having a good range of popcorn always helps. For shoppers looking for sweeter snacking moments, Butterkist Crunchy Hazelnut Chocolate flavour toffee popcorn is the perfect product to add fun and indulgence to any festival.
The entire range of Fairfields Farm is also a great option. So is Jacob's Mini Cheddars. Fridge Raiders and Peperami dominate meat snacks.
Fairfields launches festive vegan chestnut and sage crisps www.asiantrader.biz
Make the snack section exciting with a generous sprinkle of NPDs. Windmill Organics’ new high-protein snack range from its Pro Fusion brand, Bio & Me’s new Flapjack Oat Bars, Seabrook’s Trebles PMP range, Fridge Raiders’ new Chicken Grills range, Pringles’ new Spicy Pickle and Blazin’ Fried Chicken and Mr. Porky’s new protein-packed Porky Puffs will keep your range interesting and something to scan on.
Each morning during a festival weekend, local stores see crowds seeking coffee, breakfast rolls, and recovery aids. Hot food-to-go (if available), pastries, and bacon sandwiches tend to sell strongly in festival areas.
Not to forget the reusable and refillable vapes and cigarettes. Many festival attendees who run out of supplies turn to the nearest shop for refills.
The same is true with personal hygiene products. Multi-day festivals, especially camping ones, create a need for travel-size and emergency toiletries. Top sellers include baby wipes, tissues, hand sanitizer, sunscreen, lip balm, sanitary products, and dry shampoo.
By day three, deodorant and painkillers (for the inevitable hangovers) tend to become hot commodities. Convenience stores also see upticks in plasters/bandages, insect repellent, and basic first aid items as festival-goers deal with blisters, bug bites or minor injuries.
Overall, festival shoppers exhibit a mix of indulgence and practicality like splurging on treats and novelty items (like quirky snacks or souvenir items), while also buying practical supplies they forgot or suddenly need.
Pump up the vibe
Retailers looking to ride the summer wave should start prepping early. From themed windows and playful playlists to exclusive bundle deals and loyalty rewards for wristband holders everything helps.
Analyse which products festival attendees will seek and build extra stock depth in those categories. Focus on the high-velocity items like drinks (alcoholic and soft), snacks, water, ice, toiletries, batteries, etc.
It’s wise to create dedicated displays for “Festival Essentials.” For example, grouping ponchos, sunscreen, wet wipes, and earplugs together makes it easy for customers to grab last-minute needs.
This is the time to think out of the box. Offer a “Festival Survival Pack”, a little ready-to-carry bag containing a bottle of water, sunscreen, wet tissues, and snacks.
Wilson advises retailers to have a fully-stocked display with a good mix of core brands, merchandised chilled where possible.
Birra Moretti introduces unfiltered lager Sale di Mare www.asiantrader.biz
A mix such as HEINEKEN and Birra Moretti, immersed with newer, trending lines, including Foster’s Proper Shandy and Cruzcampo, is the best way retailers can retain loyal customers, alongside attracting new shoppers to explore the beer segment for the first time.
“Effective ranging and merchandising also involves focusing in-store displays to drive incremental sales. This can be achieved by keeping on top of on-pack promotions and being the first to stock limited-edition lines, and utilising themed-PoS when available,” Wilson says.
Festival schedules don’t follow normal shopping hours – attendees might be out and about early and late. If possible and permitted, extend the store’s opening times during the event.
Early morning openings catch campers seeking breakfast or ice at 7am, and late-night hours cater to those returning from shows craving snacks at midnight. Even an extra hour or two can significantly boost revenue on a festival weekend.
Collaborate with event organisers or ride the social media wave using event hashtags. And when possible, extend opening hours to catch the sunrise shoppers and midnight snackers.
Embrace the event’s spirit and the whole vibes to attract customers. Decorating your store or window in tune with the festival can draw in attendees.
If a music festival is rock-themed, create a rock music playlist in-store or put up a fun sign like “Festival Fans Welcome – Grab Your Supplies Here!” Themed point-of-sale displays (e.g. a “Festival Survival Kit” bin of assorted essentials) both entertain and drive sales. This ties into event ambiance: aligning the store’s vibe with the event puts festival-goers at ease and encourages them to stop by.
Consider multi-buy offers (e.g. “Any 3 snacks for £5 for festival-goers” or beer multipacks deals), or targeted discounts like 10 per cent off for ticket-holders. Offering exclusive discounts to wristband-holders (show your wristband, get a deal) can drive event-goers to you instead of competitors.
Some retailers sponsor small festival facilities like by providing free water refill stations or phone charging in-store, which increases foot traffic and goodwill.
Do not think twice about adding some local flavour, especially in food to go and hot food range. Give your shoppers something to hook on and come back to the store again to experience the local cuisines and snacks.
Ride the rhythm
Most festivals not only boost footfall but they also uplift the overall mood of the region.
For instance, Notting Hill Carnival (Aug 24–25, 2025) will attract around one million attendees to West London, convenience stores in Notting Hill, Ladbroke Grove and surrounding areas should prepare for a weekend of packed streets and high demand for drinks, snacks, and takeaway food.
The Reading and Leeds twin festivals (late August) is expected to draw more than 90,000 each to their sites so shops in Reading town and the Leeds/Bradford area respectively can expect busy trade especially as festival-goers transit through.
Meanwhile, month-long cultural fixtures like the Edinburgh Fringe (August) hugely increase the city’s population and footfall in convenience stores citywide (performers and tourists nipping in for quick meals, drinks, umbrellas, etc.).
Retailers who meet the moment with energy, colour, clever ranging and festive flair won’t just serve the crowds. They will become part of the celebration.
To add a little glitter to the store sales, retailers should also consider to go a little beyond than their usual range.
iStock image
Sunglasses, sun hats, cheap tents, camping chairs, beach mats and phone chargers or batteries are some of the products that might work as a great magnet for footfall.
Retailers who lean in with playful displays, clever bundles, and fully stocked chillers won’t just see a spike in sales, they will embed themselves in the memory of festival-goers.
Be the shop that saved the day with ice when theirs melted, the one with face glitter when the vibe called for sparkle, or the store that had the perfect four-pack when the campsite party kicked off.
This isn’t about business as usual. This is your store’s chance to sing backup to the main stage. Make your space feel like part of the celebration – whether it’s with carnival-coloured bunting, tongue-in-cheek signage, or simply staying open that extra hour when the rest of the high street is dark.
So get your playlist ready, prep your “Festival Essentials” bay, and don’t be afraid to get a little loud with your merchandising.
Festivals are fleeting but the buzz (and those sales spikes) can last long after the last act has left the stage.
Display and slay
Asian Trader presents out-of-the-box merchandising and display ideas tailored to the festival theme for convenience stores:
- “Festival Survival Station” Display: Set up a vibrant, easy-to-spot endcap or bin featuring essentials like water, energy drinks, sun cream, wipes, face wipes, mini deodorants, plasters, and snacks.
- Tent-Side Snacks Bay: Create mini hampers with noodle pots, cereal bars, bottled water, and instant coffee labeled.
- “Morning After” Recovery Rack: A grab-and-go shelf near the entrance with hangover aids energy drinks, hydrating drinks, electrolyte sachets, bananas, greasy snacks, and coffee.
- Beer Garden in a Basket: Create “beer bundles” in rustic baskets—4-packs, crisps, disposable cups, ice vouchers.
- Wristband Wins: Offer on-the-spot discounts or freebies to customers wearing a festival wristband.
- DIY Face Paint Station: Place mini kits near tills with a mirror and signage like “Paint Your Festival Mood”.
- Soundtrack Display: Use mini speakers to make the store experience more lively.