For every extra week England remains in the tournament, a further£125 million will be spent on food and drink. Predictably, the majority of this is expected to be spent on beer, but sales of wines, spirits, snacks and confectionery will also benefit.
In the run-up to the tournament, sales of sporting goods such as footballs, goalposts and supporters' shirts have almost doubled at some outlets. So far this year, flatscreen television sales have newly doubled compared with last year.
Off-licences, pubs and clubs are forecast to take an extra£285 million if England reaches the semi-finals.
BRC director-general Kevin Hawkins said: 'With continuing tough trading conditions and the recent nasty weather, retailers are welcoming any opportunities to maximise sales. We hope that the World Cup will contribute further to the signs of growth we've seen over the past few weeks, which indicate that consumer confidence is beginning to pick up.'
Earlier this month, the Centre for Economics and Business Research estimated that£1.25 billion will be spent in the UK as a consequence of the World Cup.
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