EDITORIAL: Shopping local more important than ever

IT HAS been a very difficult year for small businesses across the country. The war in Ukraine, on top of what seems to be a never-ending cost of living crisis and a continuing controversy over commercial rates, has meant many businesses have gone to the wall during the year.
However, those that have kept their doors open are now hoping that a busy December and Christmas period will lead to an upturn in business and provide a solid base to be able to kick on in 2024.
ISME, the organisation for small and medium enterprises in Ireland, has launched its 2023 Shop Local campaign and shoppers are being encouraged to ensure that they devote a big portion of their Christmas shopping to local bricks-and-mortar outlets, or at least Irish online stores.
It states shopping for locally produced goods and services returns multiples of the spend to the community and keeps the main street in towns active and vibrant. Because Ireland is a small, open economy, a lot of our spending as consumers is on imported goods. This limits the ‘multiplier’ flow of wealth around the community. However, if we try to ensure at least a good amount of our purchases are locally sourced, each euro we spend can produce two, three or four euro of additional wealth in the community.
The focus of the ISME campaign is for us all to ‘Think Local’ before we buy, not just for Christmas, but throughout the year. Local spending helps year-round to support the local community; maintain the anchor tenants in our main streets; reduce our carbon output and transport costs; promote goods and services that are sustainable and traceable, and ensure consumers get value for money and high quality. It also helps create real high-value local jobs, therefore making a genuine contribution to the local and national economy.
Neil McDonnell, Chief Executive at ISME, said: “We can all make a difference for local retailers and hospitality providers this Christmas through our spending decisions. We can save time, money, effort, and the environment by devoting at least a portion of our festive spend to local businesses this Christmas.” To find out more about the campaign and to explore the businesses involved visit isme.ie/shop-local.

Free parking
Mayo County Council too are doing their best to encourage shoppers to stay local by introducing free car parking charges in most towns around the Christmas. The local chambers of commerce have also been vocal at their annual general meetings about customers staying loyal to the traditional businesses that have served the county so well down through the years.
Outing Westport Chamber President Graham Byrne had this to say: “It’s vitally important for people to consider shopping locally this holiday season, every euro spent at a local Westport shop gives a positive message for the survival of retailers and business in the locality.”
The owners of The Mayo News, Iconic Media, have also been running a Shop Local campaign in their local papers right across the country with the message: ‘Shop Local, Eat Local, Spend Local’.
So the message is clear. Do your level best to spend your hard-earned cash as close to your doorstep as possible during December. The benefits of doing so are there for all to see.