Games Spark Scots Food Sales Boost

Demand for Scottish food such as haggis and shortbread has soared as customers' curiosity is sparked by the Commonwealth Games, a leading supermarket has said. Tesco said that initial sales show Glasgow 2014 is having a significant effect in highlighting Scottish food and drink across the UK. Over the course of the Games, it expects sales of haggis and black or white pudding to rise by 80% and shortbread up by 60%. It also expects sales of Scottish bottled water to rise up to 50% and malt whisky up to 30%, based on early sales figures. Tunnock's tea cakes, giant dancing versions of which featured in the opening ceremony of the Games, are also proving popular. Tesco predicts that sales of the sweet treats will have risen by up to 20% by the end of the Games and smoked salmon up by 18%. Tesco head of local sourcing Sarah Mackie said: "The Commonwealth Games has put a world spotlight on Scotland and created a natural curiosity for shoppers around the UK to try out Scottish food and drink. "We expected to see demand grow in our Scottish stores but customers right across Britain are buying Scottish products - it is a great testament to the wonderful range of products that producers in Scotland create. "Haggis has been the real winner so far during the games and it may now become more popular south of the border as a result.'' It comes after another supermarket chain revealed that the Games have boosted their sales of Tunnock's teacakes. Waitrose said that in the 24 hours following the opening ceremony, sales of the chocolate-coated marshmallow snack rose by 62%.