The Small Firms Association has called for 5 December 2015 to be ‘Small Business Saturday’ and has called on shoppers across the country to support small businesses in their communities...
SFA Director, Patricia Callan, stated “Retail sales are expected to reach €4.05 billion in December, but much of this will be spent in large stores or online. If each adult spent just €15 extra in small businesses this Christmas, this would amount to an injection of over €50 million – with 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.”
The latest retail figures show that the volume of sales continues to recover two-and-a-half times more quickly than the value. Price discounting is a clear feature of the current retail landscape. “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,” Callan continued.
Callan concluded “We are seeing optimism return to consumers around the country and this will be felt particularly strongly this Christmas, as the average household is expected to spend €2,450. We are calling on consumers to spread this optimism in their communities by shopping locally in small businesses and buying Irish products. This way, Christmas can be a win-win for shoppers, businesses and communities.”
Article Published: 24/11/2015