Small Business Saturday UK Date in the current year: December 7, 2024

Small Business Saturday was first observed in the United States in 2010. The campaign was launched by American Express as a counterpart to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, which feature large retail stores and online shops respectively. Since small and local businesses usually aren’t able to offer such huge discounts as big-box stores and online retailers, they need some extra support to make the most of the holiday shopping season, and the main task of Small Business Saturday is to provide this support.

The inaugural Small Business Saturday UK was held on December 7, 2013. In contrast to American Small Business Saturday, held on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, Small Business Saturday UK takes place on the first Saturday of December, since Thanksgiving isn’t a thing in the United Kingdom.

American Express remains the principal supporter of the initiative in the UK. Other supporters include leading business organizations, large corporations and political parties. Among them are the Federation of Small Businesses, the Association of Town and City Management, the Association of Convenience Stores, BT Group, Indeed, Xero, Dell Small Business, Amazon, Printed.com, and Square.

Small Business Saturday is designed to support all kinds of small businesses, including local shops, family businesses, online businesses, wholesalers, small manufacturers, and business services. Although the campaign itself only lasts for one day in December, it aims to have a long-lasting impact on small businesses across the UK.

The organizers have launched a website with an interactive map, where consumers can find small businesses near them and support them by buying their products or services. Another way to support small businesses on Small Business Saturday is to post about them on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, using the hashtags #SmallBizSatUK and #SmallBusinessSaturday, to spread the word about the campaign and all the small businesses that need support. Many businesses participate in the day by offering discounts and hosting events to encourage customers to buy from them.

100 days before Small Business Saturday UK, the Small Business Saturday team launches Small Biz 100 to highlight 100 small businesses, one a day. They receive exposure in the local and national press end on Small Business Saturday’s website and social media channels.