BRITISH CONSUMERS SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESS SATURDAY Despite stormy weather conditions hitting the UK, the nation’s support for small businesses remains strong, according to new research. The study by American Express to mark 2024’s Small Business Saturday in December shows that even faced with the force of Storm Darragh, over 10 million Brits shopped small on Small Business Saturday. The research suggests that a collective £634m was spent on Small Business Saturday in-store and online. The survey of 4,000 adults revealed average spend per person on the day was the highest since 2020, with top reasons for shopping small including wanting to support business owners on the high street (53 percent) and recognising that it has been a tough period for small businesses (39 percent). Encouragingly, seven in 10 (70 percent) adults surveyed said they will continue to shop small next year because of the positive impact these businesses have on local communities. These figures are based on a third-party study that gathered consumer self-reported data from a nationally representative sample of UK adults – and does not reflect actual receipts or sales from Small Business Saturday, or American Express Cardmember spending data. The research asked consumers about their level of support for small businesses across this year; of those upping their support, they are doing so in a variety of ways; almost three quarters (72 percent) say they are shopping small where possible; threefifths (60 percent) are recommending small businesses to friends and family; and nearly one-third (31 percent) are posting positive reviews online. American Express is founder and principal supporter of Small Business Saturday, which encourages consumers to ‘shop small’ and support independent businesses in their communities. It is the UK’s most successful small business campaign; over the 12 years it has been running in the UK, it has engaged millions of shoppers and seen billions of pounds spent with small businesses. Widespread support for this year’s Small Business Saturday campaign came from across the political spectrum, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosting a reception for small businesses at Downing Street and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves undertaking a special visit to meet small firms in Leeds. Government ministers joined MPs from all political parties, including the Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch, in posting their support across social media. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham were also among senior figures supporting the campaign. Michelle Ovens, Director of Small Business Saturday, said: “I am thrilled to see so many people out supporting small businesses on Small Business Saturday, even despite the weekend’s terrible weather. Not only that, but spend per shopper is up this year, showing a really encouraging trend for small businesses looking for a Christmas boost. It is so critical for businesses that we get out to support them, not just this weekend but throughout the festive season. Being conscious about where our spend goes, even when budgets are tight, gives consumers the power to make a real difference to communities. Together we can shepherd in an optimistic 2025.” Dan Edelman, UK General Manager, Merchant Services, American Express, said: “Small businesses are vital to local communities so it’s incredibly encouraging to see this level of support on Small Business Saturday, even with the bad weather across most of the country. Looking ahead, it’s positive that consumers are intending to continue their support into next year too, something which will help keep local high streets thriving.” DULUX ANNOUNCES COLOUR OF THE YEAR Dulux announced their Colour of the Year as True Joy. We all want happier, uplifting home interiors for 2025 and the colour yellow gives us a boost of positive inspiration ahead of the new year. Amthal Karim, Head of Design at Furniture And Choice comments: “Dulux True Joy is an energetic shade of yellow with warm, golden undertones. The timeless charm of the colour of the year comes from its balance of dusky versus bright. True Joy is more vibrant than a mustard tone and has more depth and warmth than shades of lemon or canary yellow. “Yellow is traditionally a colour that makes us feel happy and optimistic – True Joy is no exception. A room painted in True Joy is a room always filled with sunshine, energy, and a feeling of excitement. But it’s yellow – we hear you say! We admit, it’s a daring design commitment to paint an entire room yellow, which is why this specific shade chosen by Dulux works perfectly as an accent colour too. “The Dulux Colour of the Year 2025 is meant to inspire people to ‘jump out’ of their comfort zone. What we love about True Joy is that it encourages you to become colour confident in decorating your home. Whether you feel brave enough to paint your entire room yellow or keep it small to highlight features – any colour that gives us good vibes and happy feelings cannot be the wrong choice.” 12
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