The Co-op has quizzed its members on the chances of British sporting success over the next few months as part of its ‘Be As Unpredictable As Summer’ campaign.

The survey asked 3,300 UK adults about their thoughts on events such as the Euros, Wimbledon, the Olympics and the British Grand Prix.

Only one in 20 believed that a home nation would win the European Football Championships, while just 2% thought Brits would do better in the Rio Olympics than in London 2012, according to the research.

On the other hand, 20% of Brits believed Andy Murray could reach the Wimbledon final (though only 7% expected him to lift the trophy). Elsewhere, 11% thought there would be a British winner at the British Open Golf - though this figure doubled among Northern Irish fans rooting for Rory McIlroy. And almost 20% expected a British winner at Silverstone.

“The poll shows that the uncertainty will not stop fans enjoying the summer of sport, with more than a third of Britons (36% or 18.4 million UK adults) planning on having parties, BBQs and get-togethers to watch the great sporting occasions with family and friends,” the mutual said.

Nearly a third (31.3%) of those polled said they would weather-proof their meal selections with food that worked inside or out, and more than a fifth (22.5%) planned to make a decision about what to serve on the day itself.

“While the weather and sporting outcomes may be far from predictable, one thing for certain is that Brits will be determined to overcome their doubts and enjoy themselves with social gatherings and get-togethers come rain or shine,” said Co-op customer director Jemima Bird.

Olympic medallist and sports commentator Steve Cram CBE said sports fans were always hopeful of success but, “like our Great British summer, it’s unpredictable”.

Last month, the Co-op launched a summer advertising campaign to support its rebranding and membership relaunch. Its 40-second TV ad ‘Be As Unpredictable As Summer’ aimed to show customers that it had “everything covered in its stores” for spontaneous summer events, whatever the weather.

The TV ad, which is being accompanied by a multimedia campaign, featured a large group of millennials, a consumer demographic the Co-op wants to attract with its relaunch, bumping into each other and spontaneously ending up on the beach for a barbecue, having gone via a Co-op store to pick up food items.

Topics