Storm Darragh did little to dampen the spirts of shoppers this month as new research has shown. Despite the storms, 10 million consumers hit the shops on Small Business Saturday
Research suggests £634 million was spent in-store and online. A survey of 4,000 adults revealed the average spend per person on the day was the highest since 2020.
And the top reasons for using small businesses ranged from wanting to support their local high street to simply recognising that it has been a tough period for them.
Encouragingly, seven in 10 adults surveyed said they will continue to shop small next year because of the positive impact these businesses have on local communities.
The figures are based on a third-party study that gathered consumer self-reported data from a nationally representative sample of UK adults and collated by American Express, itself a founder and principal supporter of Small Business Saturday, a campaign which has seen billions spent with SMEs in the past 12 years.
It’s incredibly encouraging to see this level of support, even with the bad weather across most of the country
Widespread support came from across the political spectrum, with Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosting a reception at Downing Street and Chancellor Rachel Reeves meeting small firms in Leeds on the Friday before. Ministers joined MPs from all parties, including the Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch, in posting their support across social media.
Michelle Ovens, Director of Small Business Saturday, said she was “thrilled to see so many people out” on the day, adding: “Not only that, but spend per shopper is up this year, showing a really encouraging trend for small businesses looking for a Christmas boost.”
Dan Edelman, American Express’s UK General Manager, Merchant Services, said: “It’s incredibly encouraging to see this level of support, 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.”
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