Visa is championing local independent retailers with its third consecutive Christmas campaign, telling consumers ‘Where You Shop Matters’.

Ads starring local retailers are to run from today across video on demand, national radio and digital audio platforms, pushing the message that ‘To you it’s shopping, to them it’s everything’.

Featured businesses include Proud Sow Butchers in south east London and the Bon Tot family lifestyle boutique in Edinburgh – telling their own stories about why shopping local means so much to them.

Created by Saatchi & Saatchi, the ads are also running across social media. They are backed with research by Visa and the Centre for Economics and Business Research into how much of the money spent with local retailers is retained in the community.

Based on a CEBR survey of 500 local businesses with fewer than 10 employees, the research calculates that £3.80 of every £10 spent is retained in the area. Examples cited include buying a Christmas tree locally for £30, meaning £11.40 stays in the area.

CEBR also surveyed 2,000 UK consumers and found they spent £22.60 of every £100 with local business, while admitting they could increase it to £50 through active choice.

“Where we choose to shop matters,” said Visa UK & Ireland MD Jeni Mundy. “While for many of us, shopping locally is simply a convenient way to purchase goods and services, for local business owners it’s the lifeline they rely on, especially in these challenging times.

“Our research with the CEBR has found the extent to which communities prosper when we all support local businesses, so continuing this support at Christmas – and beyond – will have a profound impact on how our communities recover.”