Sunderland high street gift card goes digital to support local retail economy

Sunderland’s smart city journey has received an extra boost, with an innovative digital scheme revolving around high street spending, aimed to support the local economy.

Sunderland BID launched its gift card a year ago, with more than 150 retailers signed up.

The scheme was part of the city-wide Reopening the High Streets Safely project, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund and delivered in partnership with Sunderland City Council to encourage people to return to the high street following the pandemic.

The card is now supporting the city’s ambitions to become a “digitally enabled world leader” by being available as an E-card.

The E-card can be sent to the recipient’s phone instantly as either a text or email and then by using a Love Local app they can add the balance to their digital wallet and make their purchase using Apple Pay or Google Pay either online or in-store.

Sharon Appleby, chief executive of Sunderland BID, said: “As a city, Sunderland is completely committed to adopting digital services and technology to help increase connectivity and support economic growth.

“Being able to buy the Sunderland City Gift Card in such a straightforward way and to be able to send it instantly to the recipient is now part of that process and we’re delighted to have been able to introduce this at such an important time of year for the local economy.”

A 2021 Gift Card and Voucher Association report found that over 38 per cent of respondents converted to digital gift cards during the pandemic, while there was a steady growth in people spending their gift cards via a mobile device.

Colin Munro, managing director of Miconex, added: “By 2023, an estimated 12 million people will use their phones as their primary payment method and by 2022, mobile payments are set to overtake cash and credit card as the preferred payment method, second only to debit card.

“The new digital Sunderland Gift Card is an important step, not only in the evolution of the card but also in the evolution of Sunderland itself, giving customers ultimate choice in how they support and spend with local businesses.”