World Cup boosts UK consumer spending

World Cup fans splashing out on food, drink and replica football strips have given an early summer boost to UK consumer spending.

England did badly, but replica kit sales helped retailers to score. Picture: Getty Images

Visa Europe’s latest UK expenditure index – published today – shows that year-on-year growth was recorded for a ninth successive month in June, with “sustained increases” in spending seen in key retail sectors such as food and drink plus clothing and footwear.

The performance was aided by football fans lifting spending at pubs, supermarkets and sports shops, and caps the strongest quarter for overall expenditure since mid-2010.

Natasha Toothill, director of retail at Visa Europe, said: “Consumer spending rose again in June, rounding off the fastest growing quarter since mid-2010, when the UK was emerging from the recession.

“Spend at pubs and bars and restaurants enjoyed particularly strong growth, up 9.3 per cent, thanks to a combination of the World Cup and warm weather. Football fans increased spend on sports clothing and food and drink too, as they set themselves up to enjoy the games.”