Geraldton buy local campaign sees $124k injected back into the Mid West economy

Businesses have been doing it tough during the COVID pandemic, but more than $100,000 has been put back into the Geraldton economy thanks to a new buy local campaign.

Launched in September, the Buy Local Greater Geraldton Gift Card program was created by the City in partnership with Rio Tinto and the Midwest Chamber of Commerce to help keep money in the community and facilitate more employment opportunities.

Since the start of the program last year, 80 local businesses have signed on and 1321 cards have been sold to the value of $124,349.

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor Shane Van Styn said the program had been a huge success.

“The City liaises closely with participating businesses and has received an overwhelmingly positive response with participants expressing their gratitude for the initiative that fosters spending local,” he said.

The gift cards, which look like credit cards, are available for purchase at local “load up stores” including Mitchell and Brown, and all Cellarbrations and IGA stores under the local IGA Group.

Cards can then be spent on goods or services at participating stores in Greater Geraldton.

The program will run for three years, and there is no cost for locally owned and operated businesses to sign up.