Convenience retailers across the country joined Mo Farah and Sir Bradley Wiggins in making impressive gains this August, as Olympic Games fever swept the nation.

The 2016 Rio Games, which drew to a close earlier this week, ended with Team GB in second place in the medal table, with a weighty gold medal haul of 27.

Raj Aggarwal, owner of two Spar stores, said: “There has been a real buzz in the community because Team GB has done us all very proud, and we have had customers coming in for supplies to enjoy during the Games. The most popular categories have been alcohol and snacks, and sales are up around 10%, which means these Games have been even more positive for sales than the London games in 2012.”

Steph Latham, manager of Spar Lostock Hall in Preston, Lancashire, also saw sales of alcohol, crisps and snacks soar during the Games, helped along by eye-catching in-store displays.

She told C-Store: “We really like using in-store theatre as it helps us to stand out from the crowd, and that’s exactly what the displays did for us. We were a lot busier than usual because of the buzz generated by the Olympic Games.

“Our most popular categories have been alcohol, crisps and snacks as people prepared for nights in front of the TV. We also saw increased fruit and vegetable sales – I think people were inspired by the Games and wanted to eat healthier.”

The Games also provided retailers with a golden opportunity to engage with shoppers over social media. Many stores launched competitions and special offers on Facebook and posted images of their winning in-store displays and promotions.

A number of Spar retailers urged shoppers to “celebrate the record-breaking streak of Team GB” by holding their own closing ceremony parties.

Elsewhere, Ansell Village Stores in Bedfordshire held a raffle offering shoppers the chance to win a giant cuddly bear called Rio.