Member Article

Focus on businesses at Small Business Saturday launch

Small businesses, which between them represent the diversity, innovation and enthusiasm inherent within the UK’s vibrant SME sector, took centre stage at the launch of the UK’s 2016 Small Business Saturday campaign.

This is the fourth year of the campaign, which last year saw £623m spent with small businesses across the UK on Small Business Saturday, an increase of £119m or 24 per cent on the previous year. The campaign trended at number one in the UK on Twitter on the day with more than 100,000 campaign-related tweets being sent. Over 75% of local councils supported the campaign, giving considerable national reach into local communities.

The small businesses showcasing their activities included confectioners Fifth Dimension Chocolates and Lavolio; artisan bread maker Ma Baker; biscuit and brownie specialist Lady Bakewell Park; scented candle maker Wick and Tallow; stationary specialist Love Give Ink; social enterprise First Steps Trust and business services companies My Incubator Ventures, Essential Print Services and Businesses For Sale.

Small Business Saturday UK director Michelle Ovens MBE said: “The British public has a great affection for small businesses and we continue to see that grow year on year. The small businesses themselves really make the campaign as they effectively deliver it on the ground and collectively show the depth and breadth that exists within the sector.

“This year we aim to reach more people, get more engagement, and encourage more people to support small businesses. We will be talking a lot about community because whether they are selling to consumers online or in a particular location or b2b businesses working together and doing business together, our small businesses are a community that benefits both our local and national economies.”

Small Business Saturday, which is a grassroots, not-for-profit campaign also benefits from the backing of leading business organisations including the Federation of Small Businesses, Enterprise Nation and Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association.

American Express originally founded the ‘Small Business Saturday’ initiative in the US in 2010 and continues to support the campaign in the UK, as part of its on-going commitment to encourage consumers to shop small. The campaign is also supported by PRS For Music, TalkTalk Business, Vistaprint, Clear Channel and Post Office.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Howard Robinson .