Stores could see a significant boost in sales during this summer's FIFA World Cup, with new insights from food delivery platform Just Eat pointing to strong demand for snacks, drinks, breakfast products and late-night food purchases throughout the tournament.
The tournament, which kicks off next week across the United States, Canada and Mexico, is expected to generate increased spending around home viewing occasions, with consumers stocking up on food and drink before matches and seeking breakfast and recovery purchases the morning after late-night games.
According to Just Eat, breakfast orders rose by 40 per cent following both the Euro 2020 and Euro 2024 finals, highlighting how major football fixtures can influence shopper behaviour beyond match time itself.
Andy Washington, Commercial Vice President at Just Eat, said the company expects breakfast demand to surge following late-night matches as consumers look for convenient morning options at home and in the workplace.
The platform also reported that winning performances tend to trigger significant spikes in food orders, while disappointing results can dampen consumer spending immediately after games. During England's successful knockout matches at Euro 2024, orders for popular takeaway foods such as curries, chips and Chinese meals surged, while the final defeat to Spain generated the lowest post-match trading hour on record.
For convenience retailers, the tournament is expected to create additional opportunities across key impulse categories. During Euro 2024, Just Eat recorded increased demand for grocery products including snacks, soft drinks and frozen pizzas as consumers prepared for home viewing occasions.
The company said its expanded grocery offering means shoppers will have greater access to snacks, drinks and household essentials throughout the tournament, reflecting growing consumer demand for convenience-led purchases around major sporting events.
Washington also expects some shoppers to experiment with international cuisines inspired by the tournament's host nations and participating teams. While traditional favourites such as burgers, Indian and Chinese food remain the most popular choices, interest in Mexican and other international flavours could rise during the competition.
The World Cup marks Scotland's first qualification for the tournament during Just Eat's 20-year history in the UK, with the company predicting particularly strong demand around Scotland's group-stage matches. Scotland's opening fixture at Euro 2024 generated almost 300,000 orders on a Friday evening, underlining the sales potential associated with major national team fixtures.
For convenience retailers, the findings reinforce the importance of maintaining strong availability across snacks, sharing formats, soft drinks, beer and cider, frozen food and breakfast categories as football fans gather to watch matches throughout the summer.