Small Business Saturday hits £669m

Regardless of the powerful financial surroundings, the nation’s help for small, unbiased companies stays excessive, in accordance with new analysis. The examine by American Specific to mark this yr’s Small Enterprise Saturday (2 December 2023) exhibits that over the previous 10 years, 70% of Britons have develop into extra conscious of the optimistic influence small companies have on native communities.

The analysis suggests greater than 11 million Britons hit their native excessive road or shopped on-line at a small enterprise on Small Enterprise Saturday, spending a collective £669m. High causes for purchasing small included desirous to help enterprise house owners on the excessive road (45%) and recognising it being a troublesome yr for small enterprise (38%).

Of these customers upping their help for small companies, they’re doing so in quite a lot of methods; three fifths (61%) say they’re purchasing small the place doable; over half (56%) are recommending small companies to family and friends; and nearly a 3rd (30%) are following them on social media.

Trying forward, nearly two thirds (63%) of Britons agree that they are going to proceed to buy at small companies all through the festive season. An identical proportion (66%) will proceed to buy at small companies subsequent yr due to the optimistic influence they’ve on their area people.

Help for this yr’s Small Enterprise Saturday got here from Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who welcomed small companies, charities, and native communities to Downing Road as a part of a festive Christmas market. Authorities ministers joined MPs from all political events, in addition to native councils in positing their help throughout social media.

Michelle Ovens, Director of Small Enterprise Saturday, mentioned: “Though the climate was chilly, the nation’s hearts had been heat with small enterprise love and help this Small Enterprise Saturday. It stays a troublesome financial surroundings for each companies and customers, which makes it all of the extra encouraging to see how a lot the UK appreciates and actively helps its small and native companies. These companies, these founders and employers and innovators, are the center and soul of the financial system and communities, so it’s nice to see the continued intention to indicate them help all through the festive season and into 2024.”

Dan Edelman, Vice President and UK Normal Supervisor, Service provider Companies, American Specific, mentioned: “Our analysis exhibits Britons’ help for small companies stays robust, with individuals throughout the nation selecting to buy small on Small Enterprise Saturday. Regardless of the difficult surroundings, it’s tremendously encouraging that customers say they are going to proceed to spend with and help these companies not solely over the remainder of the festive season, however into subsequent yr too.”

American Specific is founder and principal supporter of Small Enterprise Saturday, which inspires customers to ‘store small’ and help companies of their communities. It’s the UK’s most profitable small enterprise marketing campaign; over the 11 years it has been working within the UK, it has engaged hundreds of thousands of consumers and seen billions of kilos spent with small companies.

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