Aldi and Sainsbury’s throw weight behind Scotland Loves Local Gift Card initiative

More than 100 Aldi stores and over 70 Sainsbury’s stores are now accepting the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card as a method of payment.

They join the likes of Marks & Spencer, Spar, Scotmid, One O One Group and Boots - as well as la number of independent retailers in communities across the country - in supporting the programme.

Customers can spend their regional card at Aldi and Sainsbury’s stores in the areas for which it is branded. It gets swiped at the till like a debit or credit card, with the balance automatically updated.

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director at Aldi Scotland, says: “With over 450 Scottish products from more than 90 local suppliers in our stores, shoppers can use their Scotland Loves Local Gift Card to enjoy some of the finest and best-value food and drink the country has to offer.”

A Sainsbury’s spokesperson says: “We are delighted to come onboard with the Scotland Loves Local Gift Card initiative as a redemption partner, giving customers even more choice in how they spend their gift cards in their local area and powering local economic recovery.”

The Scottish Government is backing the initiative and it is delivered by Scotland’s Town Partnership (STP).

STP Chief Officer Phil Prentice says: “The Scotland Loves Local Gift Card is about locking money into local economies, protecting jobs and helping lay the foundations for a stronger future.”

“By creating the greatest possible choice of businesses for consumers to spend their cards, we are enhancing the potential of the cards to do exactly that.”

“Of course the cards can be used to spend on treats, but can also be used to put food on the table or clothes on people’s backs.”

“It is the power of this flexibility and choice that makes the Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards suitable for a variety of purposes to encourage people to choose local in every region of the country, whether that be through gifting, disbursement of funds initiatives, sector specific support or employee reward and incentive programmes.”

Scottish FinTech Miconex is providing the technology for the initiative, and managing the onboarding process.

MD Colin Munro comments: “The blend of national and independent businesses on each Scotland Loves Local Gift Card greatly influences its usefulness and success for that area.”

“When employers are looking at rewards to give their staff, national brands like Aldi and Sainsbury’s offer universal appeal and indies are central to vibrancy and uniqueness”

“ Customers will often visit a town or city for the nationals and stay for the indies, and vice versa, the mix contributes to the overall appeal of the place, and it’s the same for the Scotland Loves Local Gift Cards.”

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