Unbeatable local choice through one gift card
The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is a simple idea with a powerful impact. Designed to keep lock spending into local economies, it enables people, businesses and organisations to invest directly in the communities they care about, helping to support local businesses, sustain jobs and keep more money local for longer. It is a fantastic tool to support community wealth building.
Unlike traditional gift cards, the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card can only be spent with participating local businesses which have a physical presence in communities. Every purchase helps keep money circulating locally, supporting the businesses which are at the heart of Scotland’s towns, neighbourhoods and high streets. It is a practical way for individuals to give meaningful gifts while making a positive contribution to local economic growth.
Supporting local economies
Since its launch, the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card programme has grown into one of the largest local gifting initiatives of its kind in the UK. Available across communities throughout Scotland, the programme has unlocked millions of pounds of spending for local businesses and demonstrated the significant economic impact that can be achieved when people choose to spend locally. From independent retailers and cafés to leisure venues, service providers and hospitality businesses, thousands of local enterprises have benefited from spending generated through the card.
The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card has also become an important tool for organisations looking to support local economies. Businesses, public sector bodies and community organisations use the card to reward employees, recognise achievements and deliver support schemes, ensuring that investment reaches local businesses and communities directly. By directing spending into local economies, the programme helps maximise the economic and social value of every pound invested.
Support for local made easy
As part of the wider Scotland Loves Local movement, the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is helping to transform the way people think about spending and gifting. By making it simple to choose local, the card encourages consumers to invest in the businesses, high streets and communities they value most. Every purchase made using the gift card helps keep money circulating within the local economy, creating a ripple effect that benefits independent retailers, hospitality venues, service providers and other local enterprises.
The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card demonstrates how collective local action can generate meaningful economic impact, supporting jobs, safeguarding livelihoods and helping businesses to thrive in an increasingly competitive environment. Whether used by individuals, employers or organisations, every transaction contributes to building more resilient and sustainable local economies. By encouraging people to think local first, the gift card reinforces the vital role that local businesses play in creating vibrant town centres and locking in spend locally for the benefit of everyone.
What the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card means to us
The most successful local gift card in the UK: insight from Aberdeen on building your Scotland Loves Local Gift Card
All you need to know about the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card
General
What is the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card?
The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is a way of ensuring that money stays local for longer in communities across Scotland. Simply pick a Scotland Loves Local Gift Card for a Scottish town, city or region, choose the amount of money to load on to the card, and opt for physical or digital (where available). Then, get ready to explore Scottish shops, restaurants, attractions, hotels, salons and services in your chosen Scottish town, city or region.
How does the Gift Card link in with the Scotland Loves Local?
How does it work?
A Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is a pre-paid Mastercard, and can be spent with participating businesses in that town, city or region (click on your chosen card to see a ‘where to spend’ list). All types and sizes of businesses can register to accept their local Scotland Loves Local Gift Card, including retail, hospitality, leisure, services and more. As the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is designed to encourage in-person footfall and spend, only businesses with a physical presence in the region, can accept their local Scotland Loves Local Gift Card.
Can I only spend the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card in my region?
The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is designed to encourage local exploration and local spending, powering Scottish communities. Each of the 30+ Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards has a unique list of participating businesses who accept that specific card, (click on your chosen card to see a ‘where to spend’ list) and can only be spent with those businesses in that region.
How long are Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards valid for?
Can only independent businesses be part of the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card programme?
A Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is the ultimate ‘shop local’ Gift Card and can be spent with an array of local businesses in specific towns, cities and regions, including big brands and independent businesses – all of whom contribute to the vibrancy and economic vitality of our Scottish towns, cities and regions. All types of customer facing businesses can register to accept their local Scotland Loves Local Gift Card. They simply need to be able to accept Mastercard payments, and have a physical presence in the area, making a contribution to the local economy.
Merchant
How do I register to accept the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card?
Registering to accept your local Scotland Local Local Gift Card is easy. You can register your interest using this form or contact [email protected].
Do I need to pay to accept the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card?
There are no additional costs to accept the Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards. As the payment is a Mastercard transaction, you’ll receive the funds from your acquirer as per your merchant acquirer agreement with the company that provides your card terminal. The card is a Mastercard pre paid commercial program, the transaction fees will vary from your standard transaction fees depending on your contract with your merchant service provider.
How do I take payments with a physical Scotland Loves Local Gift Card?
A Scotland Loves Local Gift is a prepaid Mastercard that should be processed like any other Mastercard. As the ultimate ‘shop local’ Gift Card, it’s a proven method to help drive footfall and spend to your business.
A physical Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is accepted by swiping the card through the magstripe reader on your card terminal, or by entering the card number, expiry and CVV code into your terminal.
How to take payments with a card machine with swipe facility
A Scotland Loves Local Gift is a prepaid Mastercard that should be processed like any other Mastercard. As the ultimate ‘shop local’ Gift Card, it’s a proven method to help drive footfall and spend to your business.
A physical Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is accepted by swiping the card through the magstripe reader on your card terminal, or by entering the card number, expiry and CVV code into your terminal.
How to take payments with a card machine without a swipe facility
A Scotland Loves Local Gift is a prepaid Mastercard that should be processed like any other Mastercard. As the ultimate ‘shop local’ Gift Card, it’s a proven method to help drive footfall and spend to your business.
A physical Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is accepted by swiping the card through the magstripe reader on your card terminal, or by entering the card number, expiry and CVV code into your terminal.
How do I take payments with a digital Scotland Loves Local Gift Card
A Scotland Loves Local Gift is a prepaid Mastercard that should be processed like any other Mastercard. As the ultimate ‘shop local’ Gift Card, it’s a proven method to help drive footfall and spend to your business.
A digital Scotland Loves Local Gift Card e-card is added to the customer’s Apple Pay or Google Pay digital wallet, enabling ‘tap to pay’ technology.
- Tender the transaction as a debit/credit card.
- Ask the customer to hold their phone showing the Gift Card within their digital wallet near the reader.
- The transaction will process as a normal payment.