Sunday morning promises to be the biggest breakfast of the year as footie fans gather around the TV in the hope that England can finally bring it home.
Waitrose shops have stocked up on bacon, eggs, sausage and English fizz ready for the kick off on Sunday morning.
Searches on Waitrose.com for ‘brunch’ are already up +54% on last week – a sure sign that families and friends will be gathering to cheer on England.
Searches for our Lion Birthday cake are up +45% this month, compared to last – indicating it’s become a go to treat for all footie celebrations.
Nathan Ansell, customer director at Waitrose, said: “All the ingredients for a great brunch will be flying off the shelves quicker than a Lauren Hemp strike. Customers are already looking to celebrate with cooked breakfasts – and some chilled fizzed in readiness for a potential win.
“We expect Deliveroo and Uber Eats to be busy with enthralled fans unable to tear themselves away from the action to secure their last minute snacks.”
Customers at John Lewis department stores are also getting themselves match ready. Sales of children’s football boots have more than doubled since last week, while sales of TVs have climbed by 25% on last year.
In contrast to 1966 – when an England team last reached a World Cup Final – we expect more people to be watching the final at home with family and friends this Sunday. Fifty seven years ago fewer people owned TVs and customers crowded into our TV department to watch the big match.
An extract from our archives written by one of our Shop Floor Partners in 1966 describes the day in our Oxford Street store.
“Partners and customers from the elderly and sedate to the Mods (or Rockers)’ sat on the floor to watch the World Cup Final in the TV department…. I even chatted to them and collected their lighted cigarette stubs when they asked for Ashtrays…. I suppose it was about a thousand to one that a television set would be sold whilst the match was on…but after about five minutes a SOLD ticket was placed on the top of the set…”’
