5 Reasons to Buy Local this Christmas

General 2 min read

10 Dec 2020

This Christmas season, we've been giving a shout out for local Irish businesses to encourage us all to make a conscious effort to stay local and buy Irish. 2020, as a whole, has been a tough year for everyone, but throughout the pandemic we've seen the importance of our local communities and businesses.  
 
This Christmas, more than ever we are turning in our droves to support our local businesses and communities. Here we outline the top 5 reasons why we think shopping local is so important and not only for Christmas and link to some well-deserved local businesses.   
Top 5 reasons why shopping local is so important; 
 

1. Strengthens the Local Economy & Community 

For every €10 spent on Irish products, it generates more than €40 of benefit to local communities, according to the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association (ISME). By switching just one tenth of our ‘imported shopping’ to Irish produced goods it would shift the balance in favour of local producers, manufacturers and retailers.  
 
This in turn goes a long way to sustaining Irish jobs and creating jobs locally. This happens in a number of ways; locally owned businesses tend to support and buy from other local businesses, they hire people from the local community, and they also employ other local companies to support their growth such as accountants, printers, wholesalers, food producers, solicitors, etc. Buying from locally owned businesses keeps money circulating closer to where you spend. It’s a win win! 
 

2. Adds Character, diverse products  

A small business or boutique shop adds character to your town. They can offer one of a kind shop fronts, products, goods and services that are not usually common to the larger international brands adding to the distinctive character of your area. This can help draw in other shoppers and indeed tourists. If we do not support our local shops and businesses that make our towns unique there will be little point bemoaning their passing when it’s too late. 
 

3. More Personalised Customer Service 

We all remember the theme tune from Cheers, “Where everybody knows your name.” Local business owners often know their customers to see and indeed by name, giving an added extra level of welcome and familiarity when you shop. They are well informed about their products and because they know their customers, they adjust their stock to include the goods and services their customers want to buy. Often going that extra mile to help you choose the right product for your needs, giving advice and indeed an honest opinion! 
 

4. Locally-Made Products 

Local business owners choose products based on what their customers want and often carry unique items from local artists, farmers and producers. GuaranteedIrishGifts.ie offers an alternative to consumers to shop local and online this Christmas. 
 

5. More environmentally friendly 

International shipping means trains, planes and automobiles that create traffic and air pollution. Local shops buying local produce from local producers and selling it to local people leaves a much smaller carbon footprint. 
 
At the heart of every town and village across the island of Ireland, credit unions recognise the importance of local businesses. This year we launched our Powered by People – Local Business Edition to help promote some local Irish businesses that you may want to support this Christmas and on into 2021. We can’t simply say ‘Shop Local!’ and hope to keep our local economies vibrant and healthy. Here are some of the local businesses featured; 
 
Check out the businesses we’ve featured so far:
Powered by People - Local Business Edition Week 1
Powered by People - Local Business Edtition Week 2