Businesswoman shops around for antidote to Tesco towns

TV production worker turned businesswoman Joanna Moyser is urging shoppers to support local traders in the face of a growing stranglehold on communities by supermarket giants. Joanna, 29, of Sheffield, is the brains behind a new Shopper’s Guide To…(www.shoppersguideto.co.uk) franchise which encourages traders to be featured on handy maps promoting a “united front” against the growth of so-called “Tesco towns.”She said: “The supermarket giants are decimating communities. The best message to get out there is shop smart - shop local. My Shopper’s Guide To…maps can help small shops encourage potential customers to do just that.“There’s a common misconception that shopping locally is more expensive or offers less choice.“This isn’t true. In fact, shopping in the high streets or arcades closer to home brings key social, economic and environmental benefits and helps keep communities alive.“There is a fantastic range of produce and goods available from small shops in cities, towns and villages across the UK. But they are finding it more and more of a challenge to compete with supermarkets and out of town retail parks.“I hope that by making the most of my Shopper’s Guides To…, traders and customers can get to know each other better and help bring a fresh impetus to shopping locally."More than half a million people are employed in retail in the country’s rural towns and villages, and they in turn contribute to the local economy."Research shows that, for every £10 spent in an independent shop, £25 is generated for the local economy, compared to £14 if the same amount is spent in a multi-national chain."Joanna previously worked with Diarmuid Gavin at the BBC before joining Frontline Television where she worked her way up to production and distribution manager. Then she and fiance Rob Moyser made the bold move to leave their careers in London to get married and start a family back home up north, in Sheffield, where they could afford to buy a house. She said: “The way the Shopper’s Guide To…franchise works is that I supply start-up packs, providing people who want to boost their income with everything necessary to produce the guide.“The idea came to me while I was out shopping in my local area, in between looking for production work. A local shop keeper was upset that people would come in saying they didn’t know he was there when he’d been there for years. My idea stemmed from that.”“I needed to get a key cut but didn’t have a clue where to look. I thought a map would be of great benefit to the area, so I got involved with the local trade association and created one. The Shopper’s Guide To provides a fantastic resource for shoppers and shopkeepers alike so advertisers are sponsoring a genuinely useful publication – and they’re guaranteed fantastic exposure.”The Shopper's Guide to... is ideal for someone who is ready to try something new, develop new skills and feel a real sense of achievement. It is also a great way to get involved with the community and help the local economy and the environment by encouraging people to shop local.
Seven reasons to Shop Local by www.shoppersguideto.co.uk
Your local shops:
· Have a brilliant range of products that won’t cost you the earth.
· The shops are on your doorstep – why not walk! Save time, money and petrol.
· Promote a sense of community
· Give a special shopping experience thanks to independent, often quirky or “different” traders who listen to their customers.
· Are more environmentally friendly - supporting locally sourced produce and cutting down on travel.
· Boost local employment
· Support worthy causes through trade associations, rotary clubs or other networks.
For more information, please see: www.shoppersguide.co.uk