It Turns Out We Were Onto Something

When we launched Small Shop Summer last year, we didn't have a 2500 participants research report to back us up. We had an idea.

An observation. And a growing suspicion that customers valued independent businesses far more than many retailers realised. The campaign was built on a simple belief. Most customers already want thriving high streets. They already appreciate independent businesses. They already enjoy discovering unique products and visiting interesting places. The challenge isn't persuading them to care. The challenge is helping those positive feelings influence their behaviour more often. That belief became Small Shop Summer.

Throughout the campaign, we saw encouraging signs that we might have been onto something. Customers stopped to read displays. They talked about the campaign. They recommended shops to friends and family. They shared stories about their favourite independent businesses. The campaign didn't just create awareness. It created participation.

At the time, those observations were based entirely on what we were seeing in our own shop and hearing from retailers who joined in. Then, this year, something interesting happened.

Faire and Spring Fair published the Voices of Retail report, one of the largest pieces of consumer research focused on independent retail that I've come across. More than 2,000 UK consumers were surveyed. And their message was remarkably clear.

96% want to see more independent shops on their high street.

95% say they would spend more if there were more independent options available.

85% would prefer to spend with local businesses rather than corporations.

Other findings were equally encouraging.

82% believe independent businesses provide a better experience than chains.

61% choose independents because of personality rather than price.

61% say supporting local businesses influences where they spend their money.

When I read those figures, I wasn't surprised. Encouraged? Absolutely. But surprised? Not really. Because they reflected exactly what Small Shop Summer had been built around in the first place.

Customers already value independent businesses. Customers already want independent businesses to thrive. Customers already understand that where they spend their money has an impact. The report didn't change my thinking. It reinforced it.

In many ways, the research confirmed what shopkeepers have been observing for years. The goodwill is already there. The affection is already there. The intention is already there. The opportunity lies in bringing those feelings to the surface and turning them into action.

That's why Small Shop Summer matters. Not because it convinces people that independent shops are important. Because it activates beliefs many people already hold. It encourages customers to make active choices.

To visit.

To browse.

To discover.

To recommend.

To buy.

To consciously support the businesses they want to see flourish.

Last summer, we thought we might be onto something. This year, the data suggests we were. And that's exactly why Small Shop Summer is back.