World Cup 2010: TVs flying off shelves

When the World Cup starts today, billions of people will tune in to follow the spectacle unfolding in South Africa. With a large European presence, including heavy-weights like France, Spain, Italy, Germany and England, many fans from across Europe will be flying to the Southern hemisphere to catch the games, whilst others will be watching the games on television from the comfort of their own homes.

And according to independent analysts at Datamonitor, the number of people watching the World Cup at home will increase this year.

"Research suggests that people entertaining family and friends at home will make extra effort during the World Cup, resulting in hosts trading up from usual food and drink brands – particular the products that will have visible packaging to guests like bottled beer. It is of course good to show a little pride when hosting an event all about national pride," Michael Hughes, consumer analyst at Datamonitor, said.

Fans possibly plan to watch the games from home because of the economic downturn, but more likely because of a number of factors like the smoking ban, the price of beer, and the lure of comfort and home entertainment.

World Cup retail numbers

And the numbers bear this out. Prior to the World Cup, retailers have seen a larger-than-normal increase in HD television sales. Data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC) shows that UK retail sales lifted by 0.8 percent on a comparable basis last month in a return to growth after pre-election uncertainty and the timing of Easter which hit April's results.

And experts predict the World Cup could offer further retail cheer, with the potential for a much-needed boost to shopper confidence if England enjoy a long run in the tournament.

Stephen Robertson, director general of the BRC, said: "The sunnier second half of May provided a welcome boost to overall sales. The warmer weather, combined with discounts and promotions, encouraged spending on clothing, footwear, outdoor DIY and gardening."

He added: "The run-up to the World Cup helped sales of televisions, though this was largely discount-driven. With the tournament getting closer, there should be a further uplift and to other football merchandise such as flags and replica kits."

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