The largest rugby tournament of the season is about to begin, and it’s more than just a sport – it’s a massive sales opportunity for retailers. Last season, the five-week championship drew an enormous 130 million views, a staggering +6.3% increase from the previous year, and a peak UK audience of 6 million.
So, why are so many retailers sitting on the sidelines, missing out on higher footfall and a major sales surge?
We’re here to show you how to get your business into the scrum and convert rugby fan excitement into retail success.
Get talking: The role of sport and Six Nations with your customers
Start by familiarising yourself with the schedule, so that you can discuss the games with your customers. The Six Nations Championship starts on 5 Feb with France v Ireland and will end on 14 March with France v England. You therefore have five weekends of opportunities to strike up a conversation.
Paresh Vyas, owner of five stores in and around Manchester, will have his team ask his younger customers about which team they’re rooting for and offer them a treat.
“Any child who comes in with their parents, we’ll ask who they support, and that’s how the conversation starts,” he says. “It takes 30 seconds, they get a free lollipop, and then run and tell their friends. Suddenly, I’ve driven footfall, just by asking that question.”
This approach can engage customers of all ages as sport brings people together, and you never know what you’ll learn from a quick chat.
Stock smarter: What to put on the shelf
Guinness might be the go-to beer for the Six Nations (as the main sponsor), but this doesn’t mean other lines won’t see an increase in demand.
Vyas, for example, says that some of his customers will buy snacks, such as peanuts and crisps. The difference for him year on year, though, is that shoppers have switched out sharing packs in favour of multipacks.
“The cost of sharing bags has increased, and if customers aren’t hosting a large event, they often will go to waste,” he explains. “For example, a sharing bag of crisps is around £2, but a multipack bag is £1.70, so customers save 30p and get roughly the same amount of product. It’s a win-win for them.”
So while customers save 30p, Vyas says that multipacks often offer him higher margins compared to sharing bags, helping him to generate higher profits overall.
The key is to be open-minded with what you stock, and find products that offer a small, feel-good factor provided at a value price, according to Priyesh Vekaria, of One Stop Carlton Convenience in Salford, Greater Manchester.
“Customers appreciate the small things,” he says. “With Wimbledon, it’s strawberries and cream, and with rugby, it will be alcohol and snacks. Sales and excitement are created at a local level, so be open-minded and don’t stop at what you think you know. Have a broader approach to your Six Nations selection.”
With this in mind, why not try something new for the occasion? Here at Epicurium, we stock speciality lines that will not only cater for any Six Nations Championship celebrations, but also to any allergies or dietary restrictions, too.
In snacks, we have Boundless, available in both crisp and nut ranges. There are three flavours of each type to stock, and its striking packaging is sure to stand out anywhere. If you’re looking to drive linked purchases, though, we’d recommend placing a clip strip near your alcohol section or creating a dedicated stand by the till. Make it known they’re a great addition to any Six Nations Championship celebration through PoS materials and signage.
You’ll also need drinks, and not just alcohol. In fact, Alcohol Change UK found that 23% of Londoners want to drink less alcohol this year, and a further 42% say they’ve become concerned about its long-term health impact. This means there’s a further opportunity for retailers to grow low- and no-alcohol sales, too.
Have you tried Dalston’s? This craft soft drink is available in seven flavours, including Lemonade, Cherryade, Elderflower, Ginger Beer, Rhubarb, Peach Soda, and Pineapple. There’s something for everyone, and we’d recommend stocking them in a chiller alongside your standard carbonates to encourage trade up.
Once you’ve built your range, consider the smaller details, such as giveaways. Vyas has a stash of glassware in his storage room specifically dedicated to sports events.
“Drinks sales increase for us during sports events, so we hand out glassware, but it’s all brand-led,” he says. “Brands send us glassware or PoS, and that goes a long way in helping us bring customers in through the door, which then translates into sales and repeat purchases.”
Rugby supporters also spend more. According to a report from Nielsen Sports, they spend around £200 more, on average, than football fans. For retailers, this presents a great opportunity to introduce premium products to customers by hosting a full event around the Championship, which Epicurium can assist with.
Drive footfall: Local community engagement
If your goal is to boost footfall, getting involved with community events is a great way to grow your audience. With an event as large as the Six Nations, it’s worth searching for something local – or as Vekaria does, sponsoring local sports teams.
“We work with top brands to engage with our customers on a local level,” he says. “So we’ll speak to brands about an upcoming sporting event and see how we can make it relevant and get customers to resonate with their product.”
Vekaria will also reach out to brands that are sponsoring major tournaments and attempt to secure tickets to run customer giveaways. He also attempts to drive engagement and excitement by sponsoring local clubs.
“We’ll sponsor dance clubs, football clubs, and even rugby clubs,” he says. “We’ll also partner with a brand to offer clubs higher value.”
Vekaria partnered with a soft drinks supplier last year, which provided a local team with sports equipment, carriers, bottles and bags, while Vekaria sponsored the kits. The result? Store visibility and higher footfall.
Vyas has created a WhatsApp chat with customers to discuss fixtures and the final scores.
“It’s lively during matches. It also helps us showcase any promotions and remind customers when a top team is playing.”
The display edge: Merchandising for Rugby
Your display could mean the difference between high sales for the Championship or a missed opportunity if it’s not made clear enough. Here are three ideas to ensure you maximise sales:
- Create a ‘snack stadium’: Use a dedicated area in store to build a tiered display stocked with crisps, nuts, alcohol and soft drinks. If you or someone in your team is particularly creative, build a display that is shaped like a rugby stadium. Place it in a highly visible area, such as near the till or entrance.
- The ‘half-time huddle’ display: Group all linked purchases, like alcohol, alcohol-free, soft drinks, confectionery and snacks in one high-traffic area, or on a gondola end, to make your store the one-stop shop for celebratory supplies.
- Use PoS: Reinforce that you’re celebrating the Six Nations by giving out glassware using branded PoS.
So what next? Don’t leave a guaranteed sales surge on the pitch. Take the first step today: review your range, plan your in-store display, and get ready to convert fan excitement into record profits. The kick-off is less than two weeks away – act now.
