Why Supporting Small Businesses is a No-Brainer: 5 Reasons to Choose Local Over Global
, by AussiePharmaDirect, 7 min reading time
Support local businesses in Australia! Discover how buying local products helps the local economy, fosters community growth, and promotes sustainability.
Over the past few years, there has been a shift in shopping habits by consumers, with many opting for more sustainable and ethical options. This shift is primarily due to the growing awareness among consumers about the environmental and social impact of their purchases such as the types of products they buy, the materials used in their production, and the companies behind them. More often than not, social sustainability has been one of the primary factors that drives consumers’ decisions on whether or not they should buy products from a particular brand.
Social sustainability refers to the ability of a business to operate in a socially responsible and ethical manner, ensuring the well-being of its employees, customers, and the wider community. With it being a particular concern for consumers in Australia, it paves a path for more and more small businesses to thrive because they are often more embedded in their communities and have a better understanding of the local environment and social context.
By exploring the benefits of supporting local businesses in Australia, we will highlight how choosing to support local businesses can foster community development and bolster the local economy in Australia.
5 reasons to choose local businesses over big chains for your next purchase
Small businesses often struggle when compared to bigger chains because they face several challenges, such as limited resources, competition, and economies of scale. Small businesses have less access to capital, technology, and distribution channels, making it difficult for them to compete with larger corporations that usually have more resources and reach.
Despite these challenges, it is important to support small businesses, and here’s why you should.
1. Boosting the local economy
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), there were about 2.5 million actively trading businesses in Australia as of June 2022, with over 98% of them being small businesses. Small businesses in Australia employ over 6 million people, which is almost half of the workforce in the country. This demonstrates the significant role that small businesses play in the Australian economy.
It keeps money circulating within the local community, rather than going to large corporations that may be headquartered elsewhere. When consumers spend money at local businesses, those businesses are able to hire local employees, pay local taxes, and purchase goods and services from other local businesses. This creates a multiplier effect, where each dollar spent at a local business generates additional economic activity in the community.
2. Building the local workforce
Supporting small businesses is a powerful way to create job opportunities in local communities. Small businesses are often the primary employers in a community.
Unlike larger corporations, small businesses typically have a smaller workforce and are able to create jobs that are more specialised and diverse. This means that small businesses can offer a wider range of employment opportunities, from entry-level positions to highly skilled jobs that require advanced training and education. This can be especially important for communities that have been hit hard by job losses or economic downturns.
Moreover, local small businesses are often more flexible and adaptable than the big chains. They are able to respond quickly to changes in the market, which can help them to stay competitive and grow over time. This means that they are more likely to create sustainable jobs that provide long-term opportunities for workers. Because of this, the grass is more likely to be greener for you when it comes to job opportunities!
3. Fostering personal connections
Smaller businesses often share values that are more aligned with those of their customers, which makes it easier for them to build relationships with consumers. This is because they are usually founded by individuals or small groups of people who are passionate about a particular product or service and want to share that passion with others. Customers who share these values are more likely to become repeat customers and to recommend the business to others in their network.
Customer experience is usually harder to scale for big businesses, and smaller businesses commonly has more leverage in this area because.. well, they’re small. Fostering personal connections is an important aspect of shopping at a local business. When you shop at a local business, you will have the opportunity to connect with the business owner or staff members on a personal level.
These sort of personal connections are usually harder to scale for big businesses as they may have a more diluted set of values that are driven by their bottom line and shareholder interests.
4. Accessing unique products and services
Local businesses often offer unique products or services that you might not be able to find elsewhere. These businesses often offer products or services that are unique to the local community, such as artisanal goods, locally sourced produce, and handmade crafts.
Think of the ingredients you would come across reading in the packaging of the products made in Australia. You’d find that some of them are made of ingredients that can only be found in Australia. Oftentimes, the products are tailored to the needs of specific groups of customers who face the same issues or preferences.
This personalised touch is often lacking in larger corporations, which tend to offer standardised products and services.
5. Promoting sustainability
By supporting local businesses, you can help to reduce the environmental impact of shipping products long distances! They often have a smaller carbon footprint than the big companies you’d usually buy from, and they are often more conscious of waste and resource management.
Transportation and distribution are significant factors contributing to a company's carbon footprint. Large corporations often have complex supply chains that span multiple countries and require a large amount of transportation to move goods around. In contrast, small businesses are often located closer to their customers, suppliers, and resources, which reduces the need for long-distance transportation and distribution, which can lead to a reduction in carbon emissions.
So, if you’ve been environmentally conscious about the things you purchase, support local!
Making a difference: How you can help small businesses thrive in Australia
If you're looking for ways to support local businesses in Australia, buying Australian-made products is a great place to start. And with Aussie Pharma Direct, it's easier than ever to do so. Aussie Pharma Direct sources and distributes products from Australian small businesses and local manufacturers, making it more accessible for Australians to support the local economy and community growth.
When it comes to high-quality health and wellness products, Aussie Pharma Direct has you covered with their range of locally made products. For instance, the top-selling AMD face masks are actually made in Australia. AMD is a manufacturer of disposable respirators providing operated in Australia. Other than that, the BioInnovate technology used in the ViroCLEAR hand sanitisers and surface sprays is a world-first developed by an Australian-owned company!
Daniel Seldon, the founder of Aussie Pharma Direct, emphasises the company's commitment to supporting local Australian businesses, "I'm incredibly proud of how far Aussie Pharma Direct has come in supporting local businesses and our local economy. Our mission is to continue to source and distribute Australian-made products and make them more accessible to all Australians. We believe that by supporting local businesses, we can build a stronger and more sustainable community for years to come. We are committed to this mission and look forward to working with more Australian small businesses and manufacturers in the future."