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SMEs concerned on Small Business Saturday success in UK

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Soma Tah
New Update

LONDON, UK: Nearly half of small business owners think Small Business Saturday (SBS) is a positive move for the UK, but are anxious the public will not buck the supermarket trend, according to a survey by XLN Business Services.

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The survey of 549 entrepreneurs voices the concerns of the SME community who are calling on the general public to boycott the supermarket giants for a day and shop local on the UK's first Small Business Saturday on December 7.

47 percent said the introduction of SBS was a great idea, but were worried the public will not change their habits. Furthermore, 42 percent said it was a fantastic opportunity to put small businesses on the map and boost sales.

Small Business Saturday is already bringing in $5.5bn-a-year across the pond in the US after its launch in 2010 and this weekend sees it head to the UK. The campaign aims to encourage shoppers to ‘buy local' and shop with smaller businesses on one of the busiest retail days of the year.

Christian Nellemann, CEO and founder of XLN Business Services commented: "Far too frequently, the hard work of small businesses does not get the attention it deserves. This is why Small Business Saturday is such a brilliant idea. If I had my way I would make every Saturday a Small Business Saturday."

"We all like the diversity of a vibrant high street; the butcher, the baker, the fishmonger and so on, rather than the big supermarkets, but we can't have that unless we're willing to support it. Larger companies are not always the cheapest option and local businesses provide a personal touch that larger companies just can't provide. We should support them every day of the week," added he.