More than £4m in sales have been secured for businesses in Aberdeen by people spending with the city’s local gift card.
The major milestone – and the significant impact on the economy – are being celebrated as part of Scotland Loves Local Week.
Businesses throughout the city are this week are championing the message for everyone to choose local, highlighting the transformational difference that it can make.
The Aberdeen Gift Card is spearheaded by Aberdeen Inspired Business Improvement District as part of the wider Scotland Loves Local Gift Card network.
It was the UK’s best-selling local gift card scheme in both 2023 and 2024.
Adrian Watson, Aberdeen Inspired’s Chief Executive, said: “We are immensely proud of our gift card programme and the revenue generated for local businesses.
“But, for us it’s about more than just figures. It’s about bringing people in to spend money with bricks and mortar businesses and showing the support for the fantastic businesses we have to offer here in Aberdeen.”
Statistics show that people spend more than the value of their gift card with city businesses, meaning that its multiplier effect is powerful too.
To help grow use of their card further, Aberdeen Inspired recently installed an Aberdeen Gift Card vending machine kiosk – the first of its kind in Scotland – in Union Street Shopping Centre.
Its work in using the gift card to boost the local economy has been hailed as an inspiration for others across the country to follow.
Read more: Scotland Loves Local Week – celebrating the people who make places
The message to choose local is reinforced strongly in Aberdeen and throughout through the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card.
The Aberdeen and wider Scotland Loves Local Gift Card programme is delivered in partnership with Perth-based fintech Miconex.
Chief Executive Colin Munro said: “The Aberdeen Gift Card continues to demonstrate the power of local gift cards to transform local economies, with over £4 million-worth of cards in the city.
“And with 86% of people spending more than the value of their card on redemption, the true value of that £4 million is significantly higher for Aberdeen. The message of supporting local every week is a powerful one, and the Aberdeen Gift Card is an easy, enjoyable way to do just that.”
Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP) promotes the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card as a means by which to lock money into local economies.
It is part of its wider Scotland Loves Local drive for people to build stronger, weather, more sustainable places by choosing local. It is supported by the Scottish Government.
Figures released by STP as part of Scotland Loves Local Week show that if every person in Scotland were to spend just £1 more per week with local businesses in their area, an additional £282.7m would be generated annually.
In Aberdeen, that would equate to £11.6m-a-year.
