Heineken offers advice to maximise beer sales during UEFA Euro 2020

Heineken, the official beer partner of UEFA Euro 2020, has released advice to help hospitality businesses attract customers during the tournament.

The brewer has invested £2m in its UEFA Euro 2020 support packages and has also launched the Heineken Check In Challenge on MatchPint, where fans can win 100 pairs of match tickets. Heineken is also investing more than £200,000 in pub gardens to maximise capacity and increase viewing areas.

Heineken's tips for the tournament:

• Position TV screens in well-lit and open spaces, outside where possible, to maximise space and promote social distancing while ensuring all tables have a clear view of the game. Check your speakers and volume in advance to ensure fans can hear every moment of the action.
• Take advantage of tech innovations, including order and pay services to manage table bookings, speed up service and take pre-orders. Its research shows that 77% of consumers don’t want to queue at the bar while enjoying sport.
• Focus on the pinch points: ensure staff are fully trained on the till systems so they can easily process any out of stocks, new lines or kitchen notes.
• 51% of customers want food before the game starts and 37% after the match finishes, so offering food and drink deals such as simple ‘burger and drink’ promotions or package deals for larger groups will help extend your trading period and increase spend per head.
• Refine your menu and encourage pre-ordering of food and drink packages for groups who reserve a table – this will aid your kitchen staff, as well as help manage stock orders.
• With 50% of UK consumers now moderating their alcohol intake, offer an alcohol-free option, such as Heineken 0.0.
• Social posts ahead of match days or events will remind people of your venue as a sports destination, helping encourage pre-booking and generating buzz. It is recommended that each specific sporting event gets at least two posts in the lead up to match days and that you state all the details clearly on the day of the game.

During the World Cup in 2018, £4.7b worth of drinks were sold (the equivalent of 546 million pints of beer) over an eight-week period, so operators would be wise to ensure they are ready for the crowds.

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