It has become a hot topic to buy local. With many trendsetters and environmentally conscious people advocating for the population to buy local but why? What are the benefits of supporting local businesses rather than global brands? Let’s look at four benefits of buying locally.
Benefit 1: Boost the local economy
By purchasing from a local business, you encourage businesses to continue to trade and buy from other local suppliers. This in turn helps to boost job creation and preserve local jobs.
Benefit 2: Lower your carbon footprint
By buying produce locally, you can get in-season vegetables and fruit. You will minimise the air pollution and carbon emissions created by long-haul trucks and cargo ships that bring products from different countries. You will also lower the use of packaging as the produce doesn’t need to be vacuum-packed to ensure it stays fresh for the long journey to your doorstep.
Benefit 3: Increase social influence
By buying locally, you support your neighbour or people you may know personally. You help them to support their family. They also get to see the person who uses their product or service face to face and give that little bit of extra care to ensure their offering is up to scratch. By spreading the word of good local businesses that you interact with, you can help build the customer base for your favourite local shops or services.
Benefit 4: Improve your health
Communities that have a strong small business network tend to have healthier populations. By buying your food locally, you may have a better idea of what is in it, where it came from and who made it. You may find the food tastes fresher and tastier. If you support local service businesses or industries, you will also help to build the esteem of individuals who know that their efforts are positively contributing to the growth of their country.
With these benefits in mind, you may be moved to find local businesses to support. One of the initiatives by the NSBC is Small Business Friday. This drive hopes to mobilise the nation to find local businesses to help them with their needs. It is celebrated every first Friday of September and you can join us on 2 September 2022 to celebrate this big day for small businesses.
You can also look through NSBC’s network of small businesses to find services or products you may need.
Let’s go out there and build our nation by buying local.
Proudly brought to you by the NSBC