Call for shoppers to back their communities by keeping spending local this Christmas
Shoppers across Scotland are being urged to choose local and get behind businesses in their community this Black Friday – and throughout the festive season.
The coming days are expected to be among the highest-spending of the year in retail with major discounts offered as the festive shopping season shifts into top gear.
Scotland Loves Local, the campaign which leads calls for people to get behind local businesses, is calling on everyone to prioritise local businesses – and the people behind them – during the countdown to Christmas, rather than automatically turning to online retail giants.
Black Friday – this year falling on November 29 – has built into a significant milestone in the retail calendar, with major brands and local businesses using it to promote discounts.
Kimberley Guthrie is Chief Officer of Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP), the organisation which spearheads Scotland Loves Local.
She said: “As we head into the busiest shopping period of the year, we’re asking people to pause and think local first. It’s the very best Christmas present that we can give businesses across the country.
“Our town centres are the heartbeat of our communities. They are home to special, unique businesses – and they thrive when we support them.
“Throughout this year, we have been celebrating the fact that it’s people who make places. Choosing local this Black Friday, and throughout the festive season, isn’t just about great gifts and getting a bargain. It’s about helping support our friends and neighbours, helping to protect jobs, build businesses and supporting the future of your community.”
One of the ways in which people and businesses can strengthen support in their area is by using the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card.
Available regionally across the country, the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card can only be spent with local businesses signed up to accept it, including shops, bars, restaurants, attractions and services. This ensures that every pound spent stays local for longer, boosting the resilience and vitality of Scotland’s towns and neighbourhoods.
Digital developments to the programme in recent months mean it has become easier than ever for businesses to use them as staff rewards this Christmas.
The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is delivered by STP, in partnership with Perth-based fintech Miconex.
Colin Munro, CEO of Miconex, said: “Since its launch, the trailblazing Scotland Loves Local Gift Card has gone from strength to strength, making support for local simple.
“As we approach the festive season, the card is an easy way for consumers and organisations alike to show their support for Scottish businesses. It’s the only gift card that can be spent with the big brands they know and the local businesses they love, blending support for local with unbeatable local choice.”
Scotland Loves Local is supported by the Scottish Government.
For more information about the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card, go to www.lovelocal.scot/giftcard.
