Shoppers encouraged to choose local

Shrewsbury BID is launching a new town-wide marketing campaign tomorrow on Small Business Saturday (December 6) calling on shoppers to pause, think twice and reconsider the online shopping autopilot. 

The campaign, which will continue throughout Christmas and into early 2026, challenges the habit of defaulting to online mega-retailers and instead shines a spotlight on the value, care and community that come from shopping on the High Street.

Shrewsbury’s independent businesses are one of the town’s greatest strengths, enabling a town centre mix that blends beloved independents with a strong national retail presence and a varied and exciting food and  drink scene.

It’s part of the reason Shrewsbury has been recognised as Britain’s Best High Street (The Telegraph, Nov 2024), Britain’s Most Perfect Market Town (The Telegraph, 2025), one of the happiest places to live (The Guardian, 2025) and even one of the country’s coolest postcodes (The Sunday Times, 2024).

In Newmark’s 2025 Vitality Rankings Report, Shrewsbury was ranked first in the West Midlands for town centre vitality, and third nationally among large towns.

In the first wave of designs, to be displayed from Saturday throughout the festive period, there will be three short, striking messages: “Buy from people, not platforms,” “You work hard for your money - spend it with someone who cares,” and the playful “Add to basket (but in real life).”

Many local businesses will display the campaign messages and shoppers who choose to buy in person will receive bright, cheerful stickers as a small thank-you for supporting the high street.

Seb Slater, executive director of Shrewsbury BID, said: “Shrewsbury is incredibly fortunate to have a town centre that consistently outperforms the national picture. In 2024, 51% of customer spend in our town went to independent retailers - compared to a UK average of just 29% - and that’s something we can be proud of. But it doesn’t mean our businesses have it easy.

"Every independent in Shrewsbury still faces the same yearly challenges competing with large online retailers as independents across the country. This campaign is about reminding people of the power they have to support the shops, makers and traders who give our town its identity.”

Councillor Alex Wagner, Mayor of Shrewsbury, said: “People travel from all over the Midlands - and far beyond - to explore our brilliant indie shops, markets and makers. This campaign is a celebration of everything that makes Shrewsbury special, and a nudge to remember the value of choosing local."”