Have our shopping habits changed?

The last few years have been tough on small businesses – they struggled for survival during Covid and now face a further major setback.

It seems loyalty to small businesses has gone out the window during the cost-of-living crisis with six out of 10 shoppers saying they simply head to wherever they can get the best value, regardless of retailer size. 

Research amongst Brits who shop at small businesses revealed three quarters shop at larger retailers to save money whilst a third say limited access to smaller shops locally as the reason for going elsewhere.

The study, commissioned by Tyl by NatWest, found a warm welcome, complimentary samples and birthday discounts are among the top personal touches a small business can adopt to have an ‘above and beyond’ attitude for their shoppers.

Aston spoke to entrepreneur and business expert Alison Edgar MBE and Keli King, founder of The Little Green Pantry in Wellington.

Photo by Mike Petrucci on Unsplash