- 77 per cent of shoppers in Europe prefer buying from people they know -
- Three in five trust a recommendation from a local shopkeeper -
- Cafés, butchers and corner shops among the key staples of a local community -
Belgium, 5th October 2020: Three in four (74 per cent) shoppers in Europe are now more likely to shop in their local communities than they were a year ago, according to new research released by Mastercard today.
The role of small businesses within the national economy has been severely disrupted by the public health crisis this year, but with Mastercard committing $250 million globally to helping local heroes bounce back, and trust in local shops at an all time high, small businesses will be able to thrive again both within their local communities as well as in the global economy. In Europe there has been an introduction of a range of services including the Business Unusual platform and the Mastercard Trade Solution - both which provide services beyond traditional banking and help small businesses save money and time.
The research suggests people around Europe are spending more locally to help local communities bounce back in the same way (49 per cent), with new found relationships with local shopkeepers and independent stores (28 per cent) and trusting in recommendations from people in the community (26 per cent) also popular reasons for the increased love for local.
Two thirds (65 per cent) of European say they have a new found appreciation of community and local shops since the onset of Covid-19, with convenience (50 per cent), queues for bigger supermarkets (40 per cent) and limits on travel (31 per cent) the top three reasons for people rediscovering shops on their doorstep.
Just over three quarters of people (77 per cent) say they prefer to buy from someone they know and 72 per cent trust recommendations made by local shopkeepers.
Community values have also soared since lockdown, with 58 per cent more likely to say hello to their neighbours than they were one year ago. One in five (19 per cent) have a spare key for their next-door neighbour, 44 per cent say they take online deliveries for them and 18 per cent say they are in a neighbourhood WhatsApp group.
The research also revealed that local cafés, butchers, corner shops, bakeries and pubs are amongst the top staples of a modern community.
Top ten staples of a local community
1) School
2) Café
3) Bakery
4) Post office
5) Park
6) Corner shop
7) Pub
8) Church
9) Library
10) Butcher
Mark Barnett, President, Europe at Mastercard said: "Small businesses are the backbone of the economy. As people reconnect with their local communities they are rediscovering the huge number of great, varied and unique small businesses in their local communities and neighborhoods. We have extended and introduced a number of services to help small businesses thrive - both globally and across Europe and are encouraging everyone to join us in celebrating their local heroes and shopping locally. The bounce back of the economy starts on our doorstep and local shops and communities play an enormous role in aiding the recovery and return to growth."
