Swedish grocers expect sales during Midsummer week to total SEK 7.5 billion (€730 million) this year, about 14% higher than a typical shopping week, according to Svensk Handel, the group that represents the Swedish retail sector.
A survey of retailers by the trade body found that 55% of grocery retailers believe Midsummer is a key shopping opportunity in Sweden.
According to Svensk Handel is seen on a par with Easter as one of the most important trading periods of the year, second only to Christmas.
"If we get a sunny Midsummer weekend, together with the ongoing football World Cup, many consumers will probably invest a bit more on food purchases," commented Johan Davidson, chief economist at Svensk Handel.
Sweden play Germany in the World Cup on Saturday, which is likely to lead to a further boost in store sales.
Fishy Business
Among the categories expected to enjoy a boost during this period is Herring, a traditional Midsummer meal; last year, Midsummer week accounted for 24% of the total annual sales of the fish.
Herring sales are typically 12 times greater during Midsummer week, compared to a typical week.
"Consumers follow tradition when shopping at Midsummer," Davidson added. "Stores have loaded their assortment of goods such as herring, salmon and potatoes."
Last year, Midsummer week saw sales increase by 3.1% compared to the year before, Svensk Handel said.
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: European Supermarket Magazine.
