The Small Firms Association has called for December 3 to be ‘Small Business Saturday’, with shoppers across the country asked to support small businesses in their communities.
SFA assistant director, Linda Barry, stated, “Retail sales are expected to exceed €4 billion in December, but much of this will be spent in large stores or online. The latest figures show that the value of online purchases increased by 20% in the last quarter to €1.2 billion. If each adult spent just €20 extra in small businesses this Christmas, this would amount to an injection of over €70 million for small Irish firms and would have a huge, positive impact on local jobs and the vibrancy of town and village centres.”
“The first Saturday of December is traditionally a busy shopping day and consumers should use this weekend as an opportunity to focus on buying Irish and supporting their local businesses, as the Christmas celebrations can add a major economic impetus to the country, to small businesses and help maintain jobs.”
“Small business must take every opportunity to offer the widest possible range of goods at the most competitive prices if they are to attract as many Christmas shoppers as possible. Today’s shoppers are very value-conscious and there are great deals to be had in small businesses around the country,” she added.
Ms Barry stressed that retail employs more people in Ireland than any other sector of the economy.
“Consumers should think about this when making their Christmas shopping decisions, as this time of year is make or break for many small retailers. We are calling on consumers to shop locally in small businesses and buy Irish products. This way, shoppers, businesses and communities can all feel the Christmas cheer,” she concluded.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.