Olympics trigger boom in UK wine sales

Rising grocery prices did little to deter UK shoppers from popping a bottle to celebrate the Olympics, as new data reveals that wine sales in supermarkets spiked 35% on the Friday of the Opening Ceremony.

Grocery inflation increased in the four weeks to 4 August 2024, according to the latest data from Kantar, having reached its lowest rate in almost three years in July. This rise to 1.8% was the first seen since March 2023, up from 1.6% last month.

While this is noticeable following 17 straight months of falling rates, it actually marks a return to the average levels seen in the five years before the start of the cost of living crisis, Kantar has said.

It is a mixed picture on supermarket shelves with prices now rising across 182 product categories, as the costs in 89 others fall.

However, higher supermarket prices have done little to deter shoppers raising a glass to the Olympics.

Sales of wine on the Friday of the Opening Ceremony in Paris were up 35% on the previous week. Revellers also celebrated with nuts and crisps, the sales of which increased 60% and 10% respectively.

Sporting events are key to keeping alcohol sales up. England fans also roared on The Three Lions as the men’s Euros reached its closing stages with £10 million spent on beer on the day of the final, the most spent on a Sunday in more than three years.

The UK’s faithful football fans helped to drive sales of UK groceries during the Euros with beer sales up by an average of 13% on the days that the England men’s team played, while pubs saw double the amount of pints pulled.

No- and low-alcohol beer also soared by 38% on matchdays, many of which fell on a ‘school night’.

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