World Cup boost of £1.33bn awaits

The British economy is set to benefit from a £1.33bn boost if England make it through the second round of the 2018 World Cup, rising to £2.72bn if the team make it through to the final, according to figures from VoucherCodes and the Centre for Retail Research (CRR).

Pubs, restaurants, cafés and clubs are expected to benefit most, with £193m expected to be spent by consumers watching the tournament, rising to a huge £488m if England make it to the final.

This is supported by a separate study of 2,000 British adults by Opinium and VoucherCodes, which reveals a quarter of people in the UK will spend money on drinks throughout the tournament and watch England games at their local pub.

Some 25% of those aged 18-24 also said they’d be inclined to spend more if pairing suggestions were made at pubs and restaurants.

Jimmy New, director of marketing at VoucherCodes, said: “The 2018 World Cup looks set to be a huge event in the UK, not only for football fans but for British retailers too, with a huge £1.33bn estimated to be put through the tills over the next couple of months to celebrate the tournament.

“Retailers and publicans can maximise the opportunity by creating a sense of occasion in their outlets. Everything from point of sale to pairing suggestions and offers, can help tap into the ‘World Cup Fever’ and increase consumer spend.”

Total spend during 2018 World Cup across each sector (all £ in millions)