NIIRTAMake This July Independence Month For Local Businesses Says NIIRTA

NIIRTA is backing Independence Month for local independent businesses.

Onxa04 July 2013xa0across Northern Ireland, the public will be encouraged to buy at least one item from their local, independentxa0shop to celebrate Independentsxa0Day 2013.

The Northern Ireland Independent Retail Trade Association (NIIRTA) has launched this year’s Independence Day with thexa0Ministerxa0for Agriculture Michellexa0O’Neill at the Magherafelt store of NIIRTA President Paul Stewart.

This year NIIRTA isxa0asking local shoppers to make a special effort to support local traders throughout the month of July, making every July Independence Month.

In a further move,xa0NIIRTAxa0is also launching today ( 1 July) itsxa0Suppliers’xa0Forumxa0with the aim to improve trading opportunities between its retail, wholesale, producer and supplier members.

NIIRTAxa0President Paul Stewartxa0said:xa0“Independence Day is more than just encouraging consumers to shop independently, it is about celebrating the huge contribution our local traders make to our local economy, local producers and town centres”

“This year we are encouraging consumers not just to make a special effort to shop and explore our local independent retail sectorxa0onxa04th Julyxa0but to make July a real independence month. We hope it will be forerunner for Small Businessxa0Saturdayxa0which will take placexa0on 7thxa0Decembertoxa0kick start Christmas Shopping”

Glyn Roberts NIIRTA Chief Executive said:xa0“In an age of ever more clone towns and multiple stores, independents provide real choice to shoppers in our town and city centres. They are also have been the route to market for many well known local companies such as Mash Direct and Genesis Bakery and continue to do so for so many local producers and manufacturers”

xa0“Independence Day isxa0the right time to launch our newxa0Supplier Forumxa0to ensurexa0we as business organisationxa0do more to support local suppliers and producersxa0toxa0seek out new trading possibilities with our Retail and Supplier Members. In recent years we have welcomed many local suppliers to the independent sector as members and want to encourage many more to do so”

“The Suppliers’xa0Forum will involve regular events for producers and suppliers to meet with Retailers and Wholesalers to improvexa0communicationxa0andxa0providexa0greater opportunities to promote new products and servicexa0throughout the Supply Chain”

“NIIRTA is fully supporting the recent Agri-Food Board Reportxa0Going For Growthxa0and we believe our Suppliers Forum is supportive of its aim of anxa0improved Supply Chain which supports ambitious growth targets in sales and employment”

Speaking at the launch the Agriculture Minister Michelle O’Neillxa0MLAxa0said:

“I am delighted to launch NIIRTA’s ‘Independence Day’ initiative for 2013 highlighting the very best of our local produce from the north of Ireland. I have long been an advocate of sourcing local food and commend NIIRTA for this initiative.

“While the ever-increasing global demand for food provides great opportunities for our producers, the local market is still the key market outlet for many of our producers and I am pleased that NIIRTA is launching a Suppliers’xa0Forum to further cement linkages within the supply chain. I have no doubt this initiative will lead to increased trade between members in support of the objectives of the recently produced Going for Growth report.

“I wish NIIRTA and all the independent retailers continued success with this initiative and thank them for their ongoing efforts to bring local food to local communities whilst remaining the heart of our rural towns.”

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