Vuvuzela horns help Sainsbury’s deliver strong quarterly performance
Popular UK retail chain Sainsbury’s announced Wednesday that its World Cup products’ sales were soaring through the roof, especially the vuvuzela plastic horns.
Despite the retailer reporting slow sales this quarter, the firm said that items branded with the World Cup imagery were selling well. Sainsbury’s boss Justin King said during a trading update that this quarter’s must-have item were by far the vuvuzela horns.
So far, the retailer has managed to sell more than 40,000 horns branded with the England logo, said a spokesman for the company. Each plastic horn runs at about two pounds, and the retailer estimates that it will sell 75,000 of them by the tournament’s close. The horn is being heralded as the unofficial soundtrack of the 2010 World Cup as fans blow them ravenously across the South African pitches.
The horns have not gone without criticism, however, as both commentators and players complain of the noise overpowering their teammates voices. Last Saturday, as England took on the US, Sainsbury’s reportedly sold one horn per every two seconds. As of last Wednesday the group’s sales rose 1.1 per cent from the 12 week period ending on 12 June. Mr King added that the retailer remained ahead of the market this quarter delivering a good performance.
Yesterday evening, England took on Algeria in a match that ended in a draw, 0-0, while the US also took a draw with Slovenia, at 2-2.