Wayne Rooney may not agree, but the World Cup is proving a lucky break for the country at a time when the economy and consumer spending are recovering from last year's lows. But, like the tournament itself, there are winners and losers. Business Editor Julia Breen reports.

THE owner of Dixons and Currys revealed earlier this month that it was selling a flat-screen television every 15 seconds as shoppers rushed to kit out their homes in preparation for the football gala.

It was an early signal of the business bonanza that the World Cup can bring. The Centre for Economics and Business Research says it will provide a £1.25bn boost to the UK economy - but there is a flip side.

Sofa company ScS, for example, warned last week that sales were likely to slide during the football tournament as shoppers stay away from the retail parks and remain glued to their TV screens.

And businesses are likely to be concerned about the cost of absenteeism during the crucial World Cup games - particularly if England progresses to the later stages.

Research has shown that as many as one in seven men and one in 20 women may "throw a sickie" during the tournament.

The potential economic loss was underlined by a group game featuring Germany and Ireland at the last World Cup in 2002.

Televised at lunchtime and ending in a 1-1 draw, many German workers stayed in the bar to drown their sorrows for the afternoon. Their absences cost the German economy an estimated 1.3 billion euros (£886m).

But employers seem to be getting prepared for absenteeism this year.

Newton Aycliffe recruitment agency LMR has been deluged by calls from companies in the region seeking cover for predicted staff shortages during the World Cup.

While many football fans are booking annual leave to watch key matches, it is estimated that 7.2 million employees will call in sick each working day of the World Cup fortnight in order to see a game - or to recover from match-related drinking the night before. LMR says companies in the region are already booking temporary staff in June to cover this.

Branch operations manager Elaine Shears, who is based at the firm's office on the Aycliffe Industrial Park, said: "Temporary workers are in big demand throughout the duration of the World Cup.

"Companies have realised that there is likely to be a real workforce shortage because many workers have booked holidays to coincide with key matches.

"On top of this, it's thought many employees will pull a sickie."

Ms Shears said she has received dozens of requests for extra distribution and factory staff, particularly for days when England are playing.

"Many bosses don't want to be spoilsports and ban their staff from enjoying the footie, but there is only so much they can give," she said.

"We know one company that is doing a draw out of a hat to see who gets the time off.

"I've got a feeling that the only people working on big match days will be our poor temps.

"Everyone else will be glued to televisions."

Research by employment law firm Peninsula suggested that UK employers were taking a pragmatic approach to this year's tournament.

Of nearly 3,500 employers questioned, about 81 per cent said they would allow staff to watch games during work, and seven in ten believed it would lead to fewer employees calling in sick.

During the last tournament, in 2002, North-East employers including Northumbrian Water, mobile phone company Orange and Nissan allowed staff to watch the football at work.

Orange is doing the same this time round, and Nissan is still in discussions.

Following last year's period of slow spending, when the economy saw a dip, the World Cup could be just what some businesses need.

Supermarkets, whose shelves are stacked with beer and snacks, will see a boost, and pub takings are expected to rise during the summer - although that could be short-lived in the wake of the summer 2007 smoking ban.

Umbro - the official kit supplier to England - told investors earlier this year that the aggregate television audience for the World Cup is likely to reach a record 30 billion people.

During the last World Cup, Tesco reported a 20 per cent increase in lager, cider, alcopops and champagne sales - and, bizarrely, a 60 per cent increase in condom sales.

In fact, alcohol and food were in such demand that Tesco had a team working 24 hours a day on "Operation Owen" to ensure that stocks of beer, pizza and barbecue food were maintained.

This year, airlines including easyJet are seeing flights book up fast during the tournament.

Durham Tees Valley airport, which only two weeks ago successfully flew more than 5,000 Middlesbrough fans to Holland in one morning to watch the UEFA Cup Final, is also gearing up for increased passenger numbers.

Although no flights go directly to Germany from Teesside, the airport expects its KLM Amsterdam flights to fill up.

It is also bringing in giant television screens to enable fans flying out for their holidays to watch the crucial matches while they are waiting for their flights to be called.

On an economic level, experts believe the World Cup is a reason why growth in host country Germany is accelerating again after years of stagnation.

However, Bank of England governor Mervyn King said recently that the World Cup disrupted UK spending patterns and made it difficult to detect short-term trends in consumer habits.

He said while there may be a rush for widescreen televisions pre-World Cup, fans are more likely to stay away from shops and restaurants next month to stay at home and watch matches instead.

During this World Cup, as was the case last time, sales of mints, mouthwash and breath fresheners are expected to boom as employees try to hide their morning-after breath from the boss.