Show your thanks for our local shops

As our country went into lockdown to stop the spread of coronavirus, we were asked to put our lives on hold for the greater good. To stay home, protect the NHS, and save lives. And we did.

But parts of our society had to carry on. We asked more of our doctors and nurses, who had to turn up at hospitals every day. We asked more of our bus drivers, who had to take them there. We asked more of our delivery drivers, whose service went from a luxury to a lifeline.

We asked more of our shopkeepers and their staff, too. And they delivered. All across the country, the 47,000 people who work at Scotland’s 5,000 convenience stores quickly adapted to make sure they could serve us. Creating one-way systems. Devising methods to maximise customers in the store while maintaining a safe social distance. Erecting screens to protect their staff.
Without the work of our local convenience stores, there would have been more cars on the road, occupied by people driving to large supermarkets. And there would have been more social mixing in the queues at those supermarkets.

As part of our campaign to stop retail crime, the Scottish Grocers’ Federation is saying to our member stores: #DontPutUpWithIt.

But we’re asking you, the public, to do one simple thing: #SayThanks. The next time you pop around the corner for a pint of milk for that cup or tea, or a bag of sugar for that cake the kids want to make, #SayThanks. If you’re grateful that your local store is there; if you’re grateful they’re been there for the last year; if you want them to stay there as long as you are, #SayThanks.

When you do #SayThanks, also feel free to post a picture of you and your favourite shop on social media, so that we can show the swell of support for shop staff – highlighting Scotland’s real respect for retailers.
#SayThanks
#DontPutUpWithIt
Customer being served at the till

Facts & Figures

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percent of customers know their local show owner well enough to have a chat with them
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Home deliveries were made at the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic from convenience stories across Scotland to customers to keep people safe
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The number of miles that the average shopper would have to travel to their next nearest retail outlet