Ahead of the footy finals, new data from Coles reveals that 45% of surveyed customers believe the meat pie is the ultimate footy food.

Victorians are the greatest loyalists with more than half (55%) of the respondents giving the pie top billing, compared with just over one third of NSW (36%) and Queensland (38%) voters. When fans settle in to watch the game from home however, the field opens up with pies (30%), pizza (28%) and chips and dip (27%) among the favourite choices.

As finals fever reaches its peak, Coles says it sees weekly sales of pizza, pies and frozen entertaining products spike by up to 15% compared with a standard week. Sauce sales are also set to increase by 25% in September compared to August.

Coles General Manager Commercial for Meat, Deli, Seafood and Convenience Karen O’Connor says that the game day feast is growing and customers are looking for something new to enjoy alongside the classics.

“Footy finals are a major at-home entertaining occasion, and while traditional favourites like pies remain a big part of game day, we’re also seeing customers look for easy, crowd-pleasing options that bring something different to the table, or couch,” she says.

“We know that convenience, value and finding something everyone can enjoy are key, so this finals season we’re giving customers even more choice with new Stacker and Smash Burgers, Coles-exclusive Grill’d burgers and our limited-edition Coles Finest Sausage Selection Pack.”

A drink in hand

The finals shopping basket doesn’t stop at food, with Coles research finding that one in five surveyed customers love a beer or wine on game day. Beer sales at Liquorland increase by more than 10% in the two weeks leading up to AFL Grand Final day, with the retailer expecting to sell more than 6.5 million litres of beer in the period.

Liquorland Business Category Manager for Beer Nick McArdle says that footy finals and celebrating with friends go hand in hand.

“Footy finals are a big social occasion, with friends and families coming together to watch the game, fire up the barbecue and enjoy the atmosphere at home,” he says.

“As the finals build, we see that translate into stronger demand for beer, with customers looking for a range of options to suit different tastes and occasions.”