Spending in pubs, restaurants, supermarkets and homeware stores all surged during the Euro 2020 football tournament, according to data from Lloyds Bank.
Restrictions still in place across much of the UK did not hold back the tide of thirsty football fans, with pubs and restaurants – eager to welcome back customers – seeing a 52% increase in spending, compared with the same 31 days in 2019, and up 9% on the previous month.
The feel-good factor from Euro 2020 clearly provided the perfect platform for consumers to spend some of their lockdown savings.”
Gabby Collins, Lloyds Bank
Spending on local travel also suggests people were more mobile during the tournament, compared with the previous month. Commuter spend was up 8% month-on-month, although it remained down 17% versus 2019. Fuel spend also increased during the tournament, up 5% month-on-month, and higher by 6% versus 2019.
For those not rushing to their local to watch the match, home viewing prompted a boost in supermarket spending, up 26% compared to 2019. Homeware spending was also significantly higher than 2019, up 36%, as more people began welcoming friends and families back to their homes and gardens.
Lloyds Bank payments director Gabby Collins said: “The feel-good factor from Euro 2020 clearly provided the perfect platform for consumers to spend some of their lockdown savings.
“Whether people were buying food and drink for a night in with the football, or at their local pub soaking up the atmosphere, spending soared above levels seen in 2019. Many will hope that the consumer confidence seen in spending power throughout the tournament carries through the rest of the summer months.”
Holiday bookings were up too
Meanwhile, the prospect of travel rules for the fully vaccinated being loosened this month prompted a surge in holiday bookings during Euro 2020. Travel agencies saw spending jump 14%, compared to before the much-delayed tournament, while spending with airlines soared 33%.
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