Almost 7 out of 10 Irish consumers intend to support local retailers this Christmas, according to new research published by Meta.
The YouGov research, commissioned by Meta to mark the launch of its Good Ideas Deserve to be Found campaign, finds that 69% of holiday shoppers plan to make a special effort to purchase from local businesses, while 54% say they will consider the environmental impact of the gifts that they buy.
Almost one third (31%) of Irish shoppers plan to spend less this Christmas, a sign that the cost-of-living is impacting shopping behaviour.
“The vibrancy of Ireland’s SMEs is key to the wider performance of the economy”
To overcome financial pressures 82% of holiday shoppers agree that planning ahead financially is more important than ever. Women appear to be more cautious financially, with 36% planning to spend less, compared to 26% for men.
Many holiday shoppers consider the values of a business: 33% said that sustainability is a brand value they look for and 37% look for businesses that operate fair trade practices. Having strong diversity & inclusion practices, and demonstrating proactive measures to support local communities were also positive attributes shoppers looked for.
Good Ideas Deserve to be Found
Now in its second year, Good Ideas Deserve to be Found showcases Irish businesses who use social media to connect with consumers as they gear up for the Christmas shopping season.
“The vibrancy of Ireland’s SMEs is key to the wider performance of the economy,” said Anne O’Leary, vice-president of Sales for EMEA at Meta.
“At Meta, we want to celebrate and support all that local Irish businesses and retailers have to offer. Despite the challenges of cost-of-living pressures, it’s clear that consumers plan to support local, small businesses this year.
“It’s interesting but not surprising that shoppers are increasingly considering businesses with strong brand values and a sense of social purpose. We know that finding more customers online remains a number one priority for small businesses. Through this campaign we hope to help people discover one-of-a-kind businesses across the country.”
The research also looked at Irish people’s gift buying habits and found that Meta apps continue to rank highest among social media sites for shoppers connecting with SMEs. The data shows that 28% of respondents use Instagram to engage with their favourite brands and shops, while 25% use Facebook.
Among the small businesses being featured in the campaign is JANDO, an award-winning Dublin-based printmakers, owned and run by husband and wife team Julie and Owen McLoughlin.
“As a small business, operating out of the heart of Dublin, it means so much to be given a platform to connect and engage with a wider audience, especially in the build up to Christmas which has always been our busiest season,” Julie McLoughlin said.
This year, Meta is collaborating with some of Ireland’s leading content creators, including Miss Ireland 2021 Pamela Uba and Fashion Designer Of The Year 2022 Aisling Kavanagh, to showcase hand-picked Irish gifts to their social media audiences. Irish shoppers looking for gift ideas can follow these creators and the hashtag #DeserveToBeFound for inspiration.
