Lionesses rocked the tills at home while fans stocked up on World Cup drinks and snacks

England’s Lionesses gave retail a boost last month as fans stocked up on food and drink for World Cup meetings.

The team’s progression to the final – where they suffered a major blow against Spain – caused an uproar at supermarket checkouts and helped them recover from a disastrous start to the summer.

Health and beauty products were also popular in August as retail sales rose 4.1 percent compared to the same period last year.

Net wins: England’s Chloe Kelly and Alex Greenwood helped boost retailers as the team reached the final

The figures, compiled by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), represent an improvement after a rise of just 1.5 per cent in July, dampened by wet weather.

Sarah Bradbury, executive director of the Institute of Grocery Distribution, said: “The Lionesses’ progression at the World Cup has brought joy to consumers and provided an excuse for gatherings around the seasons.”

BRC chief Helen Dickinson said the report “reflected the improvement in consumer confidence in August”.