A MONMOUTHSHIRE business features in a report by card operator Visa on the impact of shopping local.

South Wales Argus:

Alex Davies of Raglan Garden Centre.

Alex Davies owns Raglan Garden Centre in Monmouthshire, which features in a report carried out by Visa and the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR), which found that £3.80 of every £10 spent with an independent business stays within the local area.

He said: “An understanding about how crucial out local community is in helping our business to succeed is at the centre of everything we do. Our customers trust us to deliver that personal service and we rely on them for their continued support.

“That’s what independent businesses like ours really have to offer, we employ people who are passionate about what they do and feel empowered to make the customer experience the best it can be. It’s incredibly important shoppers support local businesses this year and just take a moment to stop and think about where they are buying from this Christmas.”

The report also found out just over a fifth of Brits’ money is spent locally.

At 54 per cent, more than half of the Brits surveyed said it was important to them to shop locally because they know how much their custom means, while 43 per cent said they get a boost of happiness when they support local shopkeepers. Almost half of those surveyed in the report believe that local businesses contribute to their community by employing local people.

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One in five of those in the report own or are employed by a local business and understand what community support means to them, and 62 per cent of those surveyed believed that independent businesses will not survive if their local communities do not back them.

South Wales Argus:

Agincourt Square, Monmouth

Jeni Mundy, managing director, UK and Ireland, Visa said: “Where we choose to shop matters. While for many of us, shopping locally is simply a convenient way to purchase goods and services, for local business owners it’s the lifeline they rely on, especially in these challenging times.

“Our research with Cebr has found the extent to which communities prosper when we all support local businesses, so continuing this support at Christmas – and beyond – will have a profound impact on how our communities recover.”

Cebr senior economist Fiona Cox said: “Our research, in partnership with Visa, looked to quantify the local economic impact associated with shopping at local goods and services providers. We hypothesised that such firms would have a more localised supply chain and customer base, and indeed, the results indicate that, owing to the concentration of local suppliers and employees, almost 40 per cent of money that is spent locally, stays locally, providing support to local merchants and to their communities.”

Visa’s Where You Shop Matters campaign is a long-term global commitment that recognises the essential role that local, independent businesses play in our communities. Throughout the year, Visa has been drawing on its network of industry, technology, and community partners to provide much needed assistance to local businesses as they rebuild for recovery. Visa has also committed to digitally enable eight million small businesses across Europe.

To celebrate what shopping locally means to independent businesses, this year’s Christmas advert from Visa will feature real businesses from across the UK talking about what the support of their community means to them.

For more information, go to www.visa.co.uk/whereyoushopmatters