Supporting the local economy is essential for local communities to thrive. Encouraging small businesses benefits the whole community in many ways:

• economic and social, as much of the spending in the local economy stays in the community and allows it to invest in infrastructure essential to its well-being
• environmental, as it promotes, among other things, short circuits and thus reduces CO² emissions

However, local shops face competition from large companies that dominate the market in many sectors. These globalised companies weaken the local economy by offering low prices and fast delivery, which also has serious consequences for the environment. It is therefore important to keep local customers interested, to stimulate the local economy and to encourage them to buy locally. To do this, it is essential that customers prefer to buy your products because of the story behind them: using storytelling can increase customer loyalty and make them identify with the products or services you sell. It is a good way to increase customers' interest in your products and encourage them to buy local. Local shops should represent a part of the community and customers should identify with them and buy local products as a way of supporting the local economy and the whole community