The World Cup represents a major opportunity for retailers to boost sales and footfall, as friends and family gather to enjoy the big games together.
This year’s tournament will be highly anticipated, with excitement building until it kicks off in the late autumn.
To bring extra fun and flavour to watching the matches, fans will be eager to stock up on their favourite snacks.
“To capitalise on the World Cup opportunity, retailers should offer promotions and themed fixtures in store, paying particular attention to the sharing segment,” comments Matt Collins, Trading Director at KP Snacks. At £1.4bn, sharing is the largest segment in CSN, and growing strongly at +8.3% (Nielsen).
As trends towards more cautious spending prevail, consumers are expected to continue to spend more time at home and 49% of shoppers see snacks as a must have for an evening in (Mintel).
“At KP Snacks we’re tapping into the rising consumer demand for sharing with a diverse portfolio that will drive sharing product sales and provide shoppers with tasty snacks for all occasions,” adds Collins. Our exciting range has something for everyone, from popcorn to nuts to pretzels and of course crisps.”
Nuts offer a treat while watching the tournament at home with friends. It is the fastest growing segment at +23% (Kantar) with tasty nuts sharing occasions growing +22% (Kantar), ahead of every other CSN segment. Worth £81.2m RSV and growing in value (Nielsen), the KP Nuts portfolio offers flavours in a range of formats.
KP’s new Flavour Kravers range was launched earlier this year. Available in three flavours: Flame Grilled Steak, Smokin’ Paprika, and Fiery Caribbean Jerk Sauce, Flavour Kravers look to ignite interest from younger consumers to drive sales, with this demographic over-indexing in bold flavours (Kantar).
Popcorn is an ideal partner to the excitement and entertainment of the World Cup and Butterkist is the nation’s favourite popcorn brand with a 35.4% (Nielsen) market share. With popcorn sharing occasions growing +21% and 85% of popcorn consumed at a sharing occasion (Kantar).
“To cater to shoppers looking to make watching the games feel like a special occasion, retailers should stock premium snacks like our hand–cooked Tyrrells crisps,” says Collins. Growing at +1.4% (Nielsen), Tyrrells 150g Sharing bags are key products to capitalise on, offering classic and tasty flavours. The brand expanded last year with the introduction of three £1 PMPs in popular flavours: Lightly Salted, Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar, and Mature Cheddar & Chive. PMPs drive sales in the impulse channel with half of shoppers preferring PMPs as they are reassured they’re not being overcharged (Mintel).
Healthier snacking options shouldn’t be ignored when planning World Cup fixtures. 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 option without compromising on big flavour – perfect for consumers who are looking for a tasty healthier product to share when watching the games.
Nuts are naturally packed with protein and fibre delivering on both taste and health, which has been recognised in the upcoming HFSS legislation where nuts have been excluded. Nuts are a higher value purchase compared to other CSN products, where consumers are willing to spend more, helping to drive basket spend for retailers. KP Nuts leads the category as the number one branded nut.
Matt Smith, Marketing Director for Tayto Group, comments: “Sporting events don’t come much bigger than The Football World Cup and the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis means that independent retailers can really win with a strong savoury snack offer. As the impact of energy bills bite, consumers are looking to save by shopping more locally and avoiding expensive nights out. So many will be watching the match at home – with their obligatory drinks and snacks.”
Value for money is now at the top of consumers’ minds and in Snacks that means PMP – with 62% saying that PMPs are more important to them in light of the cost-of-living crisis (Norstat). £1 PMP Snacks continue to be the category’s star performer making up 29% of all crisps & snacks sales and still growing faster than the market (+23.5% vs +8.7%, IRI).
Golden Wonder’s £1 PMP range – including the classic brands of Transform-A-Snack, Ringos and Tangy Toms – are outperforming the market (+38.2%, IRI) by offering great branded value, legendary taste with ‘more punch per crunch’ and category-leading POR for retailers.
“Building on this success, as inflation piles pressure on PMPs, Golden Wonder is committed to maintain retailers’ margins AND to stick to the all-important £1 pricepoint for its core range,” adds Smith. “Sharing is ‘coming home’ as Golden Wonder launches its new 120g BBQ Strikers in time for the Football World Cup. Kicking off in mid-October with big league margins and goal-scoring RRP, this footie-themed £1.50 PM pack promises plenty of fully-flavoured product for everyone to share – and top-flight sales for retailers to boot!”
The cost-of-living crisis is leading to fewer trips to the pub but this creates an opportunity for independent retailers. During lockdowns, sales of pork scratchings in convenience soared as more people enjoyed the ultimate pub snack at home instead of at the pub. As the No1 pork snacks manufacturer, with the two leading brands – Mr Porky and Midland Snacks (IRI) – Tayto Group can help retailers maximise this opportunity. The 45% of stores currently not stocking pork snacks are collectively missing out on £6.2m a year (IRI).
With 74% of pork scratchings being bought on impulse and the majority consumed with a drink (Norstat), retailers can capture incremental VAT-free sales by siting scratchings with BWS. The best-selling Mr Porky and Midland Snacks products are all available as clipstrips and pubcards. “To maximise sales, retailers should also have pork scratchings alongside nuts making it simple for shoppers to pick up their favourite pub snacks together,” says Smith. “The unique taste of scratchings means that shoppers won’t switch to other snacks if they have a hankering for this special flavour… because there really is no matching a scratching!”
Alex Pickering, Category & Shopper Marketing Controller at Kepak, comments: “2022 is a massive and unique year for football fans. Wholesalers should maximise the opportunity by stocking the top performing brands that retailers and shoppers will be looking for.”
No sporting fan wants to part with the screen for too long when watching a match. Brands such as Rustlers, the £105m (Nielsen) Chilled Ready Meals solution from Kepak Consumer Foods meets shopper demand for tasty meal options that are quick to prepare and perfect to be enjoyed during matches.
This year’s tournament being in winter, and so close to Christmas for the first time, presents challenges and opportunities for the convenience channel. At a time when we are all more aware of budget pressures, an increase in at-home occasions and friends and family coming together to enjoy the tournament at home is expected.
“The convenience channel can tap into this by creating meal deals targeted specifically at the occasion,” adds Pickering. “Creating offers that link Rustlers with drinks, savoury sides or desserts will offer shoppers the complete meal solution that gives them the value they’re looking for.”
With 91.6% of shoppers buying Chilled Ready Meals (Kantar) and 1 in 3 regularly buying branded options (Kantar), Rustlers helps the convenience channel meet shoppers’ needs for occasions like a major football tournament. The brand provides quality, time saving and easy to prepare solutions – credentials that are synonymous with Rustlers products, made with 100% British and Irish beef.
Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), comments: “There is a busy sporting schedule to look forward to over the coming months, and the year will go out with a bang with the 2022 FIFA World Cup kicking off in November.
“We expect friends and family to gather together to watch these events at home, which means there is a big opportunity for retailers to score more sales.”
Soft drinks are often a big part of sporting occasions at home, and CCEP’s broad portfolio provides options to suit all needs and occasions. It includes Coca-Cola, which continues to drive growth in convenience, led by Coca-Coca zero sugar (Nielsen); Fanta, the number one flavoured carbonates brand in GB (Nielsen); and Schweppes, worth £107m in retail (Nielsen).
“To tap into these occasions and other at-home occasions in the months ahead, retailers should have a wide range of sharing packs across winning brands at the heart of their soft drinks ranges, such as multipack cans of Coca-Cola or Monster or large PET bottles of Fanta and Schweppes,” adds Burgess.
“Retailers can also look at creating themed sporting displays to create excitement in-store, and cross-merchandising soft drinks with complementary categories like snacks so customers can pick up everything they need for a big night at home in one go.”
Barr Soft Drinks will drive retailer sales this winter with a special on-pack promotion for IRN-BRU, the UK’s No.1 flavoured carbonate brand (IRI), encouraging shoppers to celebrate the footy at home.
Football tournaments provide a major profit opportunity for retailers, with a 74% uplift during the last World Cup in 2018 (IRI). Most football fans will not be able to attend matches this winter and may instead be watching the football at home and these national packs will help fans feel part of the occasion with a competition offering shoppers the chance to win IRN-BRU’s official ‘’Stay At Home’’ kit.
IRN-BRU grew three times faster than the total carbonates category during the Euros last year (IRI), so there is a huge opportunity for retailers to drive incremental sales with these limited edition packs.
The ‘‘Stay At Home’’ kits will include branded woolly jumpers, slippers and socks to keep fans warm while they watch the winter tournament.
The on pack promotion will be supported by high impact in-store and in-depot displays featuring eye-catching POS.
IRN-BRU special packs are proven to increase sales during celebrations like the World Cup and retailers should prominently display these packs to unlock incremental sales opportunities.
Lauren Priestley – Head of Category Development Off Trade at Diageo, comments: “With the World Cup around the corner, there is a fantastic opportunity for retailers to capitalise on the occasion, by stocking high-quality drinks across several categories which lend themselves to sporting moments.”
Beer is high-performing in the off-trade – in fact, both lager and stout are experiencing growth (Nielsen). The beer category is a must-stock during sporting occasions as people may be planning to watch the tournament at home with friends. To maximise this opportunity, it is worthwhile paying attention to the brands and the formats available to customers in-store.
“Guinness, for example, is a high-quality and trusted beer choice and is the no.1 selling stout in convenience (Nielsen),” adds Priestley. “With this in mind, we suggest leveraging the Guinness brand recognition and stocking a variety of different products within the portfolio. Stocking iconic Guinness Draught in a can (4% ABV) alongside other products within the portfolio, such as Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (7.5% ABV) or Guinness Cold Brew Coffee Beer (4% ABV) – the latest addition to the Guinness portfolio – will encourage current drinkers of Guinness to enjoy the brew at home, as well as welcome new adult-drinkers to try the famous stout.”
When it comes to beer, stocking a range of formats will be important when encouraging sales. For example, 330ml bottles are great for trial whereas 4-packs and 10-packs are perfect for sharing. 4-packs in particular perform well and are currently a popular format in convenience.
Retailers can drive incremental sales by encouraging people to trade up from a 440ml can to a 538ml format. Guinness has a new 538ml ‘pint can format’ option – also available as a PMP (price-marked-pack) – perfect for adults who enjoy Guinness in the on-trade and are looking to enjoy the iconic stout at home.
“When it comes to merchandising, if space permits, we suggest placing bottles, cans and multipacks in the cooler, ready for immediate consumption,” says Priestley. “Clear signage and POS will also help guide customers to their drink of choice. Over the last couple of years, many consumers found ways to create memorable moments at home and we can expect this to continue. The FIFA World Cup presents a fantastic opportunity for retailers to tap into the at-home occasion by leveraging a spirits range.”
Flavoured spirits can help consumers create high-quality serves to enjoy during sporting moments which are easy to make at home. Diageo has launched a diverse range of flavoured spirits across categories, including Smirnoff Raspberry Crush (37% ABV), Smirnoff Mango & Passionfruit Twist (37.5% ABV), Tanqueray Blackcurrant Royale (41.3% ABV), as well as Gordon’s White Peach Distilled Gin (37.5% ABV) and Gordon’s Sicilian Lemon Distilled Gin (37.5% ABV). The company suggests cross-merchandising these spirits with high-quality mixers to encourage increased basket spend.
“We also would advise stocking a selection of premium spirits to help customers create great moments at home whilst watching the World Cup this year,” adds Priestley. “For example, super-premium vodka accounts for 35% of total super premium sales (Nielsen). With this mind, we would suggest stocking some premium and super-premium spirits, such as the Cîroc portfolio which includes a range of different and exciting flavours which stand out on-shelf and encourage customers to create high-quality serves at home.”
Cîroc Summer Citrus was the number one contributor to value growth in the super-premium vodka category in impulse, having grown +£1.4m in L26wks after its launch (Nielsen). Due to its success, the flavour has now become a permanent flavour within the Cîroc range, tapping into consumer demand for high-quality spirits and exciting flavours.
Nicola Randall, Head of Marketing, Brothers Drinks Co, comments: “The cider category is continuing to develop, and with 47% of consumers being cider drinkers (Mintel), retailers should ensure they are stocking an exciting range to cater to this demand and capture new customers.
Innovation in flavour is one of the most prominent trends in the cider category, and this trend also extends to both alcohol and alcohol-free variants. Brothers has recently launched its newest variant, Cherry Bakewell; emulating the much-loved quintessential British tart, the cider is full of cherry flavours and a hint of frangipane and is also gluten free and suitable for vegans. As consumer demand for innovative flavours continues to increase and with cherry trending at +32% in the categories of strongest and future flavours to watch, retailers should ensure they are stocking exciting flavours that will capture consumers’ interest. “Retailers should also bear in mind the sporting occasions set to take place this year, including the World Cup,” adds Randall. “Retailers should be keen to take advantage of the patriotic spirit of the nation during these events, as British brands are likely to come out on top.”
Authenticity and heritage are often key drivers for consumers, particularly when it comes to supporting British cider – 48% of UK consumers say that the covid outbreak has made it more important to buy British brands (Mintel), and 47% of cider drinkers agree it is important to know about a cider brand’s heritage.
“It is also important to remember to cater for the increasing number of consumers opting for alcohol free alternatives,” says Randall.
Low and no is a category that continues to grow, with many consumers now looking to reduce their alcohol consumption as part of adopting a more balanced lifestyle – in fact, 6% of consumers now engage with low and no cider as a category, one that has risen from £22.8m value last year to £28.9m in the latest year (Westons Cider Report).
Last year the brand launched its first alcohol-free cider, Toffee Apple Alcohol Free. This variant provides cider drinkers with all the flavour they expect from the leading variant Toffee Apple, but without the alcohol, and it is also gluten free and vegan friendly.
Jo Taylorson, head of marketing and product management, Kingsland Drinks, comments: “This year, the FIFA World Cup tournament runs alongside the build up to Christmas so we’d urge wholesalers to plan early and prepare fixtures and aisles to cater for both occasions.”
Sales uplifts for alcohol are likely to begin early as customers will be stocking up, anticipating mixed events in the home both for football viewings and festive drinks.
Kingsland Drinks is expecting very different spending patterns this year but consumers will still want good value and quality, plenty of choice, and wines at a range of price points.
“We recommend stocking a range of drinks for a variety of preferences,” adds Taylorson. “Offer different varietals, a range of price points, and a choice of formats. Stock the best sellers and give enough space to emerging categories such as Rosé Prosecco and RTDs.”
There is explosive growth in the canned wine and RTD categories with products such as Vin Crowd canned wine spritzers and Mix Up RTDs proving very popular among younger drinkers in particular and this is a key trend that is set to flourish as the category benefits from an upswing in socialising.
The beauty of these products is that the single serve measures encourage trial and experimentation. It is an extremely cost-effective way for consumers to try new flavours, products and brands and they’re portable for consumers to take to football viewings, gatherings and parties in the home.
“More than ever though, consumers are also looking for fun and experimentation from brand innovators who create high quality drinks with appealing packaging. They want brands to grab their attention in store. They are willing to try new things and different flavour combinations and want their drinks to be fun and a reflection of their personality,” says Taylorson.
“By offering a selection of established wine brands (across all price brackets) and championing new and trending drinks options, wholesalers can guide customers looking to refresh alcohol fixtures for the lucrative football season.”
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