Do YOU Buy British? Six Compelling Patriotic Reasons to Keep Things (More) Local

In the 2020s, we are all international. Or we’d like to think we are. It’s something we take for granted.

Now that we can, we love to travel abroad.

Colleagues in other countries connect easily with us online; most of us, with varying degrees of success, have tried to master a foreign language. Yet buying locally or nationally has become more critical in recent years. It became a good thing to do during the pandemic and has yet again become an issue regarding steeper retail prices – partly due to geopolitical reasons.

But there are other justifications, too.

It’s easy to bypass the significance of buying British. And it IS important. Here’s Xpress Group’s guide to patriotic purchasing.

What Does “Buying British” Really Mean?

First things first.

It’s worth mentioning that there is no one hundred per cent solid definition. Generally, however, to qualify as a British-made product, it must either be wholly produced, manufactured or assembled within the UK or have been significantly changed through a process or treatment within the UK. And, the seller must be based in the UK and selling from here.

In other words, most, if not all, of the hard work will have been carried out on British soil. For the record, Xpress Group is a national company. All our products are produced “onshore”. For us, it makes business sense. With 30 years’ experience in printing, we’re proud to partner with other UK companies and, where possible, source services locally, too.

Does Buying Britsh Matter?

Well, us Brits think it does. Quite a lot, in fact.

In 2021, Made in Britain, in association with OnePoll, carried out a survey about buying British. Of the 2,000 adults surveyed, an impressive 73% want their business to invest more in national products and services.

Reasons To Buy On Home Shores

1. Support Our Economy
   Two years after the coronavirus, our economy hasn’t exactly set the world on fire.It’s getting better slowly. Very slowly. The Bank of England expects output to grow by a vanishingly small 0.25% in 2024 and 0.75% in 2025. This means that by buying from a British company, you are helping to keep people employed; the money they earn is spent in this country and is reinvested into the UK economy. We can also apply this principle to the local economy: towns and cities thrive when everyone has a job.Equally, you’re keeping skills alive, enabling them to be passed down to future generations.
2. Reduce Carbon Footprint
   In an environment affected by climate change, reducing air miles is essential.For example, sourcing printed materials from the other side of the world racks up an enormous number of air miles. There is no need to do this; by buying British for your b2b products, you are reducing your carbon footprint.
3. Ethical Sourcing
   It’s no great secret that certain products manufactured abroad may not be produced in decent or safe conditions. This applies to the service sector, too.And the trouble is, we may not know about these problems – they hide in plain sight. Long days, poor pay and unhealthy workspaces, if accepted, can all contribute to global inequality.If you buy British, it’s considerably more likely that the staff involved in production and shipping are being paid a decent wage in a fair environment.And then we have the tax issues. British companies pay tax in the UK. We’ll leave that one there.
4. Quality
   Often, we’re self-deprecating and negative – perhaps it’s part of the national psyche, but let’s turn up the positivity. We’re blowing our own trumpet here.British manufacturing is among the best in the world and renowned for its quality. As a buyer, you are investing in skilfully-made products designed to last and crafted to high standards. You will quite literally get what you pay for.In addition, there’s a less is more approach here:If you buy cheap, you will almost certainly buy twice. Most certainly, this applies to large-format printing and printed materials in general. Super-affordable exhibition banners or rock-bottom priced window graphics are likely to break, tear or come apart after a couple of uses. Our mantra: consume less, get more.
5. Strong Cultural Fit
   A little controversial, this one. But, bear with us.It’s near-impossible and enormously unwise to lump the entire UK population together in terms of attitude, approach and culture. Nevertheless, working with a British service provider means that the end results are more, rather than less likely, to resonate with your target market.And as you know, marketing, wayfinding signs, point-of-sales graphics and so on are all about the message and the people you need to reach.The reason for this is the initial consultation process; it’s easier and quicker to understand a particular demographic if you’re already familiar with it. A UK company has quite literally been there and done that.
6. Great Service
   Buying locally not only means communication and support are far easier, but whilst buying abroad can seem like better value, it introduces the likelihood of unavoidable time differences and delays.A UK-based company that sources home-grown materials wherever possible has more control over all the stages of its processes. Every component can be checked, and any issues can be resolved promptly.As far as Xpress Group is concerned, we are extremely easy to contact. We actively encourage engagement with enquirers and clients alike, with strong, developing relationships at the forefront of our work. We’re not faceless. You’ll know who we are and where we are. Plus, we can deliver to your deadline.

So, have we persuaded you to buy British?

Empowering our business environment is about trust, faith and confidence. Let’s grow together.