Over a quarter of a million people in Ireland have joined groups on Facebook backing small Irish businesses this Christmas.

• Over 325,000 posts and comments using hashtags like #buyirish #shoplocal and #supportsmallbusiness on Facebook and Instagram
• On Instagram in Ireland, #MadeLocal is the fastest growing hashtag in the past month
• Over 30,000 Instagram Stories in Ireland had the ‘Support Small Business’ sticker

Today, Facebook shares new data that shows how people in Ireland are supporting local businesses this Christmas. Over 325,000 posts and comments using hashtags such as #buyirish #shoplocal and #supportsmallbusiness have been created on Facebook and Instagram, in just three months.

On Instagram in Ireland, the fastest growing hashtag is #MadeLocal. In the last three months, more than 30,000 Instagram Stories featured the ‘Support Small Business’ sticker which people use to spotlight their favourite business to their followers.

Irish shoppers are aware that many SMEs can’t operate as normal during the most important shopping season of the year. With this in mind, communities across Ireland have been coming together online to raise awareness for small, independent businesses. In the last three months, over 280,000 people in Ireland have joined Facebook Groups, such as Shop in Ireland, to search for and engage with Irish businesses across the country.

Teresa Venables, Community Leader of Facebook Group Shop in Ireland said:

I created the Shop in Ireland group in October to gather Irish shoppers and business owners together in one space. With over 167,000 members, the group is a wonderful community of Irish SMEs from local crafters and small retailers to photographers, jewellers and more, all of whom have been affected by Covid-19.

I felt there was a need for a quick and easy way for small businesses to reach their customers without the months of building a website and all that it entails. Facebook is an easy to use platform and businesses can set up a free Facebook Page in minutes. With over 100,000 shoppers browsing the Page every day, a lot of owners have experienced a level of trade they could only have dreamed of in their bricks and mortar shop or craft stalls.

David Harris, Director of Global Business Group at Facebook said:

It’s fantastic to see the country coming together to support Irish businesses this Christmas by joining Facebook Groups and using hashtags like #BuyLocal and #CeannaighSaGhaeltacht. As consumer behaviour shifted online in a big way this year, we introduced a range of new features to help people discover and share their support for local businesses. We’re delighted to see people connecting and supporting local businesses through Facebook and Instagram.

People looking to support Irish SMEs can search hashtags like #BuyIrish, #ShopLocal, #MadeLocal on Facebook and Instagram to discover local businesses when shopping for Christmas gifts this year.

Below are some small Irish businesses on Facebook and Instagram, perfect for gifting this Christmas:

• Jo Browne for natural and sustainable skincare and homeware products
• Carve On for personalised premium leather accessories
• CATCH Events for DIY cocktails at home
• Moher Cottage for delicious handmade fudge
• EarthMother, a one-stop-shop for all things natural and environmentally-friendly for families

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