Panini UK has ‘been taken aback’ by the demand for the new Premier League Official Sticker Collection 2021, that – despite the current lockdown restrictions – has seen sales outperform the success of the 2020 collection.

The range has been such a hit at retail that customers in some parts of the country have reported difficulty in getting their hands on the sticker packets, with hot spots for the new collection to be Leeds and Birmingham in particular.

Panini suggests that sales in these areas have been driven by Leeds United and Aston Villa fans who have embraced the collection as the ‘perfect antidote to lockdown’ and not being able to see their teams play in person.

‘The Panini Premier League 2021 Sticker Collection has already established itself as – by a distance – the fastest selling collectable currently available in the UK and Ireland, with fans both young and old enjoying both the quality of the new album, the stickers (including plenty of shinies) and the amount of detail included for each team,’ read a statement from Panini UK.

‘Many are finding the sticker packets the perfect reward for children who work hard at “home school”!’

Panini UK has stated that it is now working hard behind the scenes to get more sticker packets into the country ASAP to meet the demand, and more stock available on its online store.

Starter packs, priced at £3.99 include an album which is packed full of facts, stats and analysis, plus four sticker packets. Each packet costs 70p and contains five stickers.