The Costa Blanca People is launching a ‘Shop Local’ campaign, in an effort to empower local businesses, and encourage locals to buy, eat and enjoy locally rather than online. We are seeing, and experiencing, the negative impact of the global pandemic and believe that we as a community can come together, even in some small way, to make a difference to the local economy by fuelling local support.
Readers will begin to see our shop local logo and campaign articles in forthcoming editions and online. With local businesses still reeling from lockdown, the UK quarantine on arrivals from Spain and the subsequent slump in tourists arriving to the area, this summer has been difficult for us all. However, it is our hope that together, the local community can help sustain the local economy through the winter months.
Why have we launched this campaign?
As the global pandemic continues to bring drastic changes to life on the Costa Blanca, we all need to do everything we possibly can to help our local economy bounce back stronger than ever. That’s why we’ve launched our Shop Local campaign. We want to engage in partnership with local business leaders to give our towns, commercial centres, retailers, small businesses and charitable organisations a boost. We want to help businesses, shops, restaurants and entrepreneurs the support they need to continue to make the southern Costa Blanca a great place to live, work and socialise.
How can local businesses get involved?
Display a Shop Local poster to promote your local business and neighbourhood so residents invest in the local economy by shopping locally. Collect a free poster from our office or, email us and we will send you a copy to print for yourself. Alternatively, go to our website to download a free copy.
Use our Shop Local Shop on your website, email signature and social media to promote the campaign. Feel free to copy the logo from our website or social media, or email us and we will send you a copy.
Use the hashtag #CBPShopLocal in your social media posts.
Buy locally from other businesses when purchasing goods and services for your business.
Let your customers know you are open along with promoting business offers, discounts and opening hours.
Will the campaign make a difference?
We certainly hope so! Sometimes, all it takes is a reminder to make buyers pause to think twice about whether to buy online or locally. If we can all get on board, and become our own advocates – ambassadors for the local economy if you like – together, we can keep our local economy, and all of our livelihoods, afloat. Making this campaign visible – on your social media (check our our ‘frame’ for your profile picture, search for ‘Shop Local Costa Blanca’ in frame options when you edit your profile picture to add a frame), in your window or place of business will help ensure it works and stays in the forefront of people’s minds. Don’t forget, if you have an offer or special deal to entice new business, let us help you shout about it! Tag us in your social media posts promoting your deals or offers and we’d love to share them to our followers!
Why shopping local works
Shopping at local businesses puts money right back into the local economy, and by spending money in our local shops, restaurant, café or bar, we can all do our bit to help revive our local economy.
Supporting our local businesses creates jobs in local communities. Helping to grow the number of jobs in our local areas makes for a better place to live and work, which then creates a healthy economy for the community here on the Costa Blanca.
Small businesses are often run by people who live in or near our local community. As the southern Costa Blanca continues to recover from the pandemic, the experience of buying locally from a friendly face offers a dose of normality that many people may have missed.
Shop local, Costa Blanca
It is our hope that Shopping Locally becomes a daily practice to grow a stronger community for us all.
Across the southern Costa Blanca region, we value our local businesses and understand the impact that every one of our hard-earned euros can have on the vitality and survival of the places where we live.
We all know that spending our money locally not only supports our friends and neighbours who run the businesses that make our communities unique, but also the critical public services that keep us safe and uphold our quality of life.
Advocates
We are looking for advocates for our Shop Local campaign. To get involved, all you need to do is display the campaign poster in your business and social media. Use the hashtag #CBPShopLocal and tag us in your posts so we can share your business with our followers – this applies to all local businesses, not just those who currently advertise with us. Together, we can ensure that our local economy not only survives, but thrives.
Rebecca Serwotka, Inmobiliaria Quesada
“It’s a scary world we’re living in right now, especially if you read the news morning, noon and night! Talking local, there isn’t one business that hasn’t been affected by the pandemic, even ours. It’s times like these that we need to pull together and support one another. The problem is we’ve all become too used to staying and eating at home. Even myself, I have to admit I’ve been buying more online than venturing out to the local stores. But we need to pull together as a community. Every single local business needs each and every one of us. There are enough of us that live here without having to rely on visitors. So come on, instead of reading a magazine online, go out and buy one. Instead of trying to make your own tapas, go and support your local tapas bar and order something to take home if you don’t feel comfortable dining out yet. Every little gesture helps. Each and every one of us make up our community. Businesses can’t survive on fresh air. Taxes still have to be paid. Salaries still need to be paid. Without the support of the public, these businesses will not survive. Let us show the world how great our community is by pulling together when we all need it the most! #ShopLocal”
James and Claire Woodham, Kosta Kitchens
“As small businesses get back on their feet and reopen with new safety measures in place, consumers can lend a hand by shopping local – supporting local companies and jobs. At Kosta Kitchens, we are taking great care to ensure our customers are safe and we’d be delighted to see you at our showroom in Torrevieja.”
Nicki and Steve from The Pines Restaurant and The Pines Sports Bar in Benijófar
“It’s vital now more than ever that we do what we can to support our local small businesses. The past few months have been among the most difficult that businesses have ever had and as we slowly reopen, the public can help by supporting their local businesses. On the Costa Blanca especially, our bars and restaurants are at the heart of our community and at the Pines, we are ready with all the safety measures in place to welcome back customers old and new. Please drop in and see us, and help kickstart the local economy once more.”
Indiana from Indiana’s Hair and Lash Boutique, Benijófar
“I was crazy enough to open a new business during a global pandemic! But thankfully, I have been able to welcome my customers to my new salon safely. It’s so important for people to feel normal, and getting your hair done, or a treatment can do wonders for your mental health. I fully support this Shop Local campaign – it makes absolute sense that as a community, we pull together to protect our economy and our livelihoods.”