The 5.5 million small businesses in the UK are the heart and soul of our communities, bringing joy and vibrancy to our lives and local areas, as well as delivering essential local services. But they have had a difficult few years, facing extended challenges, characterised by high costs. Recovery and growth for the next year and beyond will be a tall order, which means that to survive and thrive, small businesses need enthusiastic public support not just over the festive season, but all year round.
Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity to show up for small businesses, and to showcase the communities they are essential in. This past year having taken place on 7 December, the campaign encourages people to support their favourite small businesses, both online and in person. Small Business Saturday came to the UK in 2013 and is backed by principal supporter, American Express, which founded the campaign in the US in 2010.
Over the time it has been running in the UK, the campaign has seen a growth in public support for small businesses with billions of pounds spent with small firms on Small Business Saturday. This past year, we are extremely proud of the campaign result—research1 from American Express shows that despite Storm Darragh, more than 10 million Brits spent a collective £634m in-store and online on Small Business Saturday itself. This is a strong indicator of how keen people are to support small businesses this winter, which is often a critical season for independent businesses.
The survey of 4,000 adults revealed average spend per person on Small Business Saturday was the highest since 2020. There were many reasons for the figure, but from the data we see people actively wanting to support small business owners on the high street (53%) and recognising that it has been an especially tough time for independent businesses (39%). We are seeing intentional support from the public for small firms, and encouragingly, seven in ten (70%) said they will continue to shop small next year because of the positive impact these businesses have on local communities.
The research also asked consumers about their level of support for small businesses across this year; of those upping their support, almost three quarters (72%) say they are shopping small where possible; three-fifths (60%) are recommending small businesses to friends and family; and nearly one third (31%) are posting positive reviews online, all of which can have significant impact on a business’ finances, their reach to new and existing audiences, and their chances of survival and growth in the future.
The country showed a lot of love for small businesses this Small Business Saturday, and it did not only come in financial forms. Widespread support for this year’s Small Business Saturday campaign came from across the political spectrum with Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosting a special reception for small businesses at Downing Street in the week before Small Business Saturday, and Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves undertaking a special visit to meet small firms in Leeds.
Government ministers joined MPs from all political parties, including the Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch, in posting their support across social media. The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan and Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham were also among senior figures supporting the campaign.
Small Business Saturday happens on the first Saturday every December, but has an impact that lasts all year round, and this winter, we are extremely encouraged to see great campaign results despite difficult conditions and tight budgets. This turnout in support of small businesses, which are so essential to their local communities, and our whole nation, will usher in a positive 2025, with renewed confidence and strong potential for growth for all small business owners.
[1] These Small Business Saturday figures are based on a third-party study that gathered consumer self-reported data from a nationally representative sample of UK adults – and does not reflect actual receipts or sales from Small Business Saturday, or American Express Cardmember spending data.
