The FIFA World Cup is more than a sporting event. For grocery retail, the tournament creates new purchase occasions, new customer needs and big opportunities to drive sales in store.
It doesn’t matter whether you love football or would rather avoid anything to do with offside, stoppage time and group stages. When the World Cup kicks off this summer, it will affect both your everyday life and your store. Anyone who doesn’t understand what the World Cup means for grocery retail simply risks being dribbled past.
What’s more, this year’s World Cup is not just any tournament. It is being played in the US, Canada and Mexico from 11 June to 19 July and is the biggest yet, with 48 nations and 104 matches. For Swedish grocery retail, that means several weeks in which football will influence both planned dinners and spontaneous snack purchases.
Globally, the World Cup is already treated as more than a sporting event. Major brands, mainly in drinks, snacks and ready meals, are building campaigns in which every match becomes a purchase occasion in its own right. It’s not just about being seen in advertising, but about taking up space in the store and in the moment when consumers decide what to eat and drink during the match.
Many matches are played in the evening, which most people are used to, but others take place late at night or early in the morning. This creates different conditions for purchasing. An evening match, for example, drives snacks, barbecue, pizza and soft drinks, while a night-time match opens up more for energy drinks, coffee and breakfast solutions. More people will also choose to watch matches at home, both for convenience and to keep costs down. This means stores need to think beyond the classic match night.
For stores, it’s therefore about making things easy for the customer:
Include options that suit before, during and after the match, from snacks and drinks to ready-made meal solutions, coffee and breakfast products.
Clear price points, multi-buys and campaign material close to the customer flow help customers make quick decisions in store.
Appealing in-store offers and coupons that lower the threshold to purchase can make match night a little easier and more fun, while also contributing to higher volumes.
The World Cup doesn’t just create more match nights, but more occasions when consumers are receptive to inspiration. This also applies to younger audiences, who often follow the tournament across several screens and channels. For suppliers and brands, the challenge is not just to capture attention, but to carry it through to an actual purchase in store.
That is why coupons are particularly well suited to the World Cup and other major events. They make the offer concrete at the moment of purchase, lower the threshold for trying something new and give stores something clear to highlight in promotional areas, on the shelf or close to the customer flow. With the right set-up, the same campaign can create value for the customer, a bigger basket for the store and more trial purchases for the brand.
Sweden may not go all the way this summer, but with the right set-up, both stores and brands can have a strong tournament on home turf.
Would you like to understand the opportunities, find the right campaign set-up and create offers that drive redemption in store? Contact us at Clearon and we’ll help you get ready for the match.
.png)
