World Cup: Will quick commerce operators be lifting the cup come 19 July?

In our article on the World Cup that never sleeps, we encouraged companies to consider the mission shoppers are on for their time of day and fit the channel investment to those benefiting from those missions. 

It also called out the role that quick commerce operators could play in meeting these distressed needs, a demand that UK retailers have responded to quickly. 

Retailers extend delivery hours for on-demand services 

Our events research showed that 36% of shoppers planned to purchase food or groceries for sporting occasions, match timings, and unplanned gatherings, creating an opportunity for quick commerce and delivery. 

Asda has seen a strong uptick in sales during the games’ hydration breaks and at halftime, with the recent hot weather likely boosting purchases of desserts, ice cream, beer, soft drinks, and snacks. The expansion of the retailer’s on-demand delivery service with Deliveroo, which saw more than 300 supermarkets added to the platform, would have also helped. 

Other UK-based retailers have also extended their delivery hours and expanded their coverage. Waitrose, also noting an uptick in orders during the games, has extended its operating hours for the service at more than 50 stores, with shoppers able to order from them until midnight, and, in some cases, 24 hours a day. Co-op has mirrored the initiative, while Boots has extended its delivery hours until midnight, having seen an increase in demand for a range of products. 

In the US, DoorDash launched the Summer of DashPass. The DashPass gives shoppers ‘thousands of exclusive discounts from national brands and more than 100,000 local businesses, with up to 25-50% off meals, groceries, tech, and more.’ Deals of the week will use a range of mechanics to provide value from several retailers and away from home operators, while also offering benefits including DoorDash Reservations Golden Tables and Lyft Ride Benefits. 

Shopper behaviour is reshaping demand  

It is clear that as shoppers use the channel more, their behaviour is informing how quick commerce evolves. The channel, which our ShopperVista research shows skews towards younger, 18-to 24-year-old, high-income shoppers and those living in London, is enabling retailers to shift its use from an occasional, emergency solution to a more habitual part of grocery shopping. 

Usage is already increasing in frequency, with shoppers placing multiple smaller orders across the week. With the World Cup games coming along regularly, some shoppers will become increasingly happy to use the channel for a wider range of missions. As the channel becomes embedded in their shopping repertoire, retailers will likely be able to use it to complement shoppers’  weekly shop missions as part of an increasingly omnichannel, data-informed, loyalty programme-driven journey.  

Why this matters for FMCG businesses 

The World Cup is likely to encourage some shoppers to try the channel, getting them to overcome their inbuilt concerns around cost and availability, while others may use it more. The channel’s growth outlook is positive, as shown by our UK market forecasts, but by attracting more shoppers into the channel, it could be that quick commerce operators, unlike most fans, leave the World Cup even happier than they started. 

The longer England remains in the tournament, the more opportunity there is for retailers to use their data to promote the service to ecommerce or convenience shoppers, targeting them with curated content that focuses on the missions retailers know it can serve. 

For retailers and aggregators, given that for some games shoppers will be watching the games in groups, there is the chance to encourage them to add more products to their basket. While there is a short-term gain from growing basket size, proving that larger shops can be met by quick commerce could provide a longer-term benefit for those shoppers who become used to buying through the channel. 

For retailers and suppliers, the tournament is expected to generate useful data and insight into how shoppers could use the channel more in future, especially around specific sporting or seasonal events. This could help both parties evolve the missions and occasions shoppers use the channel for, from food-to-go to other needs. 

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