Scotland Loves Local initiative goes digital

Scotland Loves Local (SLL) gift cards can be loaded with credit and used in shops and businesses within users’ local council area to boost commerce, and now the initiative is getting a digital advancement. The Scottish Government is investing GBP250,000 to enable the cards to operate digitally via devices such as mobile phones. This move reflects the growing popularity of digital payments seen in the UK: about 10% of UK 2022 transactions at the point of sale were made using digital wallets on mobile phones, according to the Global Payments Report by Worldpay from FIS.

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By going digital, the cards can be used by businesses to reward loyal customers and encourage repeat custom.

The new system may also be made compatible with transport providers’ ticketing systems, allowing train and bus fairs to be gifted. Currently, cards are utilised by more than 20 councils, including six which have used them to distribute more than GBP13 million of Scottish Government Covid economic recovery funding to lower income households. Started in 2021, the SLL programme has 6,659 registered businesses, 75% of which are independent or franchised businesses.

Visiting Barrhead, where the SLL cards have helped boost business in the town centre, Community Wealth Minister Tom Arthur said: “Going digital is an important step forward for the SLL gift card. The scheme has already delivered millions of pounds of extra spending to help businesses recover from the pandemic and by increasing their useability I am sure even more people will be encouraged to shop locally.

“The cards have made a real difference in places like Glasgow, where thousands of cards have been used to access Scottish Government funding for economic recovery. “They represent a step towards the creation of local currencies to be invested and retained within areas. Digitalisation will accelerate that process and help support fairer and more prosperous local economies.”

Scotland’s Town Partnership (STP) delivers the SLL initiative – which includes the gift card – encouraging people to support their communities by spending locally.

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Interim Chief Officer Kimberley Guthrie said: “The Scotland Loves Local campaign is a force for good – galvanising communities to support local people and businesses at times when they have never needed that more. “The need for us all to think, choose and spend locally is critical, not only in our ongoing recovery from the impact of Covid-19 on businesses, but in helping us all through the cost of living crisis and in responding to the climate emergency.

“Continued support from the Scottish Government allows businesses and communities to innovate, invest and embrace opportunity, building better, stronger places.”

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