An Aberdeen gift card scheme, designed to boost local spending, has already become one of the largest of its kind in the country.
Launched at the end of November, it has already generated more than £150,000 in sales – all of which will be reinvested into local shops.
More than 150 brands across Aberdeen have signed up to the scheme including Marks and Spencer, Primark, Jamieson and Carry and Finnies.
The initiative was developed by business improvement district Aberdeen Inspired as part of a drive to encourage people back into the city centre.
Footfall in some of Aberdeen’s most popular shopping areas has plummeted due to the pandemic.
And during the period where non-essential retail was permitted to open, some parts of the city still experienced almost an 80% drop in pedestrian numbers.
In recent weeks the likes of Debenhams and the Arcadia group – which ran Topshop and Burton – have collapsed, providing even less of an incentive for people to once again hit the high street.
But Adrian Watson, the chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, is remaining positive with more plans being drawn up to bolster businesses.
He said: “We have been pleased with the fantastic sales the Aberdeen Gift Card has had since it launched in late November.
“With 3,500 cards bought at a total value of £150,000, it really has given a boost to the local economy.
“Aberdeen Inspired worked incredibly hard in a short timescale to launch it in time for Christmas and it has helped to make a big difference at a time when it was, and is, most needed.”
Mr Watson said the gift cards have provided an additional bonus for shops, with customers spending an average of 40% above the value of the token when they go to redeem it.
He added: “The message to ‘give the gift of Aberdeen’ really struck a chord during a difficult time for the city.
“Our business engagement team are very active in promoting the benefits of being part of scheme to our levy payers and this, combined with our promotional activity, has helped it reach far and wide.
“It is our hope that sales will continue to grow and with that, bring further relief to businesses across a wide range of sectors in the city.”
The Aberdeen scheme is part of a wider Town And City Gift Card programme run by financial tech firm Miconex.
It runs 59 such initiatives across the UK and Ireland, and helped generate £1.9 million in sales last year.
In September, three Belfast business improvement districts joined forces for a gift card scheme which racked up £90,000 for firms.
Miconex managing director Colin Munro said: “With their population mass, cities have a large potential audience for their gift card programmes.
“Local gift cards have to be spent with businesses in that particular area, encouraging shoppers into the city centre.
“What Aberdeen and Belfast have done so successfully is to create campaigns that capture the public’s imagination, enabling them to harness the ‘shop local’ sentiment and support a wide range of businesses.”