Hopeful England fans are getting ready to party like it’s 1966 with a £533million spending spree on food, booze and souvenirs.
Experts are predicting the massive splurge ahead of Saturday’s Euro 2020 quarter-final against Ukraine.
Around £150m will be blown in pubs and bars, and £348m splashed out on food and drink by fans watching at home, figures from the Centre for Retail Research and website VoucherCodes.co.uk show.
And £35m will be spent on merchandise such as replica shirts, flags, banners, mugs, hats and key rings.
Supermarkets expect a food, snacks and drinks buying frenzy as millions stock up today ready for the 8pm kick-off.
Experts are warning fans to shop early for barbecue food, with 13.6 million people said to be planning a barbie and two million vowing to carry on even if predicted widespread showers arrive.
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Aldi said 50 million burgers, bangers and steaks will be served up in pre-match feasts.
Julie Ashfield, managing director of buying at Aldi UK, said: “This weekend we expect sales – and goals – to soar as the country celebrates.”
A record football audience of 39 million is expected to tune in to the match on BBC1, almost double the number who saw Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Germany.
Supporters have been splashing out on big screens too, with John Lewis reporting sales of 70in TVs up by 38% in a week, and demand for QLED tellies up by 161% year-on-year at ao.com.
More than seven million will flock to pubs to watch the clash and figures from the British Beer and Pub Association show 19 million pints will be knocked back today. And 40,000 of those pints are expected to be thrown in the air if England score.
Booze has also been flying off supermarket shelves, with demand for packs of beer up by 60% at the Co-op and 40% at Sainsbury’s and Waitrose.
Tesco said sales of barbecue meat had doubled compared with two weeks ago. A spokesman said: “We know many of our customers will be watching the game with friends and family and we expect our BBQ ranges to be extremely popular.”
Marks & Spencer said shoppers pushing the boat out for the match had sent Champagne sales rocketing by 41% year-on-year and Prosecco by 31%.
Demand for deli food such as olives, hummus and prosciutto is up by 36% and dips by 25%.
Sales of pizza were expected to rocket by 250% today at Sainsbury’s compared with the same time last year. Crisps and dips were up by 40% and 70% respectively at Sainsbury’s and by 25% and 27% at Waitrose.
Merchandise sales are also booming. The bunting is out, flags are flying from cars and banners are draped outside bedroom windows.
The official England website has sold out of shirts with players’ names on, including Harry Kane, Phil Foden, Raheem Sterling and John Stones, despite the hefty £99.95 price tag for kids and £114.95 for adults.
Replica shirts are also sold out at JD Sports, while searches for England shirts on eBay are up 226% month-on-month.
Searches for England banners have rocketed by 488%, bunting by 474%, flags by 341% and “It’s coming home” hats by 950% month-on-month.
Betfair said nearly £5m has been bet on England winning Euro 2020, more than was placed on them in the whole of the 2018 World Cup.
The tournament is expected to net the UK economy £3.5bn.
CRR director Professor Joshua Bamfield said: “Football fever has well and truly taken over. After the year we’ve all had, it is really giving people a boost.
“They are getting back out and about to celebrate, which is giving the economy a much-needed boost – and this is only going to continue if England make it into the semi-finals.”
VoucherCodes.co.uk’s Anita Naik summed up the mood, saying: “After a great performance against Germany on Tuesday, fans are starting to dream that it might finally be coming home.”
