Research from the Institute of Grocery Distribution (IGD) has spotlighted an opportunity for retailers to drive event-led sales during the 2026 World Cup, as 36% of UK adults said they were tempted to spend more on groceries to celebrate.
The figure was up from the 23% reported ahead of the 2022 World Cup, which took place in November and December, when festive spending was also a main competitor.
IGD’s research highlighted that spending will not be evenly distributed across the tournament, with shopper behaviour “heavily influenced” by on-pitch performance.
Almost four in ten shoppers (39%) said they will spend more if their team performs well, up from 26% in 2022. This, IGD argued, creates a “dynamic sales opportunity” where demand can build rapidly as teams progress and interest intensifies.
Overall engagement is also conditional, said IGD. While 44% of shoppers plan to celebrate the World Cup, this rises to 59% when including those whose participation depends on their team’s success.
Annie McGoff, shopper analyst at IGD, commented: “Our findings reinforce the need for retailers and suppliers to prepare for eventualities and respond in real time as the tournament progresses, aligning promotions and messaging to key moments.”
At-home occasions to increase grocery spend
IGD’s shopper insights show that the majority of World Cup viewing will take place in the home, which it said would “support grocery-led missions”.
Demand for hosting, sharing and group occasions is reportedly likely to grow, as 81% of shoppers plan to watch matches at home, while 34% intend to watch at a friend’s or family member’s home.
Separately, 35% plan to watch matches in pubs, bars or similar venues, skewing towards younger and more affluent groups. According to IGD, this mix of behaviours underlines the importance of planned shopping missions, as well as top-up and convenience purchases linked to social viewing occasions.
Shoppers balance participation with cost pressures
IGD stated that the data showed consumers will balance participation with ongoing cost pressures. It said promotions will play a key role, with 46% of shoppers looking out for them when making World Cup-driven food and grocery purchases.
At the same time, a later kick-off time is expected to shift consumption habits. IGD said this will drive demand for convenient, easy to prepare meals and last-minute purchases.
McGoff added: “Value communication, price cues and bundled offers will be critical for converting intent into spend.”
