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erfurt, Source: © Stadtverwaltung Erfurt, Einkaufswagen-Symbol: Designed by Freepik

Erfurt promotes local produce and businesses

Erfurt promotes local produce and businesses

Through a new initiative, authorities want to help local retailers and restaurants that are being hit the hardest by the lockdown

With lockdowns in place all over Europe, regular retailers and shop owners, as well as restauranteurs, have taken a substantial hit with many of them being forced to lay off employees or being on the verge of bankruptcy.

The German city of Erfurt is no different. Yet local authorities have devised a new and innovative way that is meant to support local entrepreneurs in these times of profound crisis and help them stay afloat until the problems subside.

Shop online, shop locally

The campaign designed by the local government of Erfurt is called “Shop online, and please locally” ("Online shoppen, bitte lokal"). Its goal is to gather and bundle up as many delivery services as possible in a single place – on the city’s own homepage, thus allowing consumers and customers easy access to goods made and sold by Erfurt’s business owners.

“We are extremely concerned about the economic wellbeing of retailers and restaurateurs. Above all, it will not be easy to restore the economic situation that existed before the Corona crisis. With this campaign we are trying to make sure that retailers and restaurateurs get over this difficult time as well as possible, " stated Heinz-Jochen Spilker, CEO of City Management, as quoted by t-online.

A majority of shops and restaurants will remain closed for the time being with the German federal government showing no signs of easing lockdown restrictions. Most such businesses have been allowed to operate only in online shopping mode with just a handful being granted the privilege of serving takeaway.

Through the new portal, developed by local authorities, Erfurt’s businesses have the opportunity to band together and survive the crisis. Officials have a simple message to all of Erfurt’s retailers – apply to the portal and join because the platform will only be successful if many people use it.

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