Scotland’s shops ‘set to score’ during the Euros

Scotland’s shops are set to score from the European Football Championships, with new research revealing one in eight Scots plan to spend more on food and drink to consume while watching matches.

Electrical and sporting goods shops are likely to do well, alongside grocery businesses and those which sell merchandise and souvenirs.

A survey of 2,000 UK shoppers as part of the British Retail Consortium’s Consumer Sentiment Monitor, supported by Opinium, comes ahead of the opening match of the Euros this Friday which will see Scotland take on hosts Germany.

The polling found that 12% of Scots plan to spend more on groceries, alcohol and takeaways, with 4% planning to host or attend gatherings with family and friends to watch matches.

A further 11% of shoppers expect to buy a new TV or electronic device to watch and keep up with the Euros – and 7% plan to purchase official merchandise.

Over and above this, 6% of respondents said they hoped to attend the championships in Germany in person. However, the championships only speak to half the country, with 49% saying they weren’t planning any activities in relation to the event.

It comes after the latest sales monitor from the Scottish Retail Consortium and KPMG found retail sales in Scotland had essentially flatlined, declining by 0.1% over the past quarter.

David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “With football fans across the country getting behind Steve Clarke and the Scotland team ahead of the European championships this should kick-start a brighter period of trading for Scottish stores.

“Retailers will be supporting every tackle, save, and goal that takes Scotland further into the competition and which could well provide a much needed boost to spending.

“With the Paris Olympics following fast on the heels of the Euros, this summer of major sporting events could provide retailers with a welcome lift, especially if fans are given something to celebrate over the coming weeks.”

The UK’s hospitality sector is also hoping that the tournament will provide a much-needed spending boost.

Pubs will be able to extend their opening hours to 1am if England or Scotland make it to the semi-finals of Euro 2024, the UK Government has said.

Venues will be allowed to stay open for an extra two hours on match days if either or both teams reach the last four – or the final – to give fans a chance to celebrate or commiserate.

The move, which covers venues in England and Wales, comes after a consultation at the end of last year and is hoped to provide a boost to the hospitality industry.

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, said: “Enormous numbers of people will be flocking to watch the home nations at the pub – the perfect place to watch live sport, outside of the stadium itself.

“We know hospitality venues are excited to put on a memorable experience for fans and everything is crossed that the two home nations competing can go far in the tournament, delivering both a welcome boost to pubs and a summer feel-good factor to the nation.”

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