Turn Purple And Reap The Rewards

Aiming to put the fun back into retailing at what is often perceived to be a quiet time of year, Purple Love Week hopes to entice consumers to shop local and support small businesses.

This year, Olives Et Al believes that the simple message of ‘A Fiver a Day to Keep Recession at Bay’ is the most powerful way of engaging with consumers everywhere to encourage them to start spending small amounts in their local high streets and rural retailers again. Explains Giles Henschel at Olives Et Al. “Despite its slightly cheesy and tongue in cheek approach, PLW has always been designed to support the trade and this year it’s needed more than ever before.” He continues, “We’ve always designed the event to be relevant to the needs of the trade and for 2009 we’ve decided to switch the emphasis onto consumers and help the trade that way – by directly talking to consumers with the message that a small amount spent could keep 1,000s of shops open. After all, let’s not forget that food businesses are all run, owned and staffed by consumers who, just like all of us, need their confidence boosting too.”
PLW 09 is possibly the most important chance in 2009 that retailers are going to get to unite in a co-ordinated event that could just serve as a rallying cry to get the retail economy moving again. The message is that by joining forces, more consumers will be encouraged to visit their local stores, restaurants and farm shops, boosting sales of speciality food across the UK at a time when it is needed the most. 
Any outlet can get involved by signing-up to take part at www.purplelove.co.uk – which is where all the necessary assets to run the event can be obtained, such as downloadable posters, point of sale, press releases, partner details and event timetables, as well as other ideas to promote events. Olives Et Al will also be offering its own stock and tasters at discounted rates and other producers will also be joining up and offering samples and tasters to help support traders holding Purple Love Week events.

Amanda Biggs at Thyme Deli in Bolton, Lancashire, took part last year. “Purple Love Week was a fantastic event for us last year and we definitely want to get involved again this year. Because it was so successful for us, my advice would be to take part. We found that our sales rose quite substantially, particularly for February which is a notoriously quiet month. It was the first year we really threw ourselves into the event and marketed it really heavily through the local press and to exisiting customers. Because of that we got lots of new customers through door and I think some of them have returned.”

For more information on how to get involved, visit www.purplelove.co.uk