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I know we are all supposed to be buying less these days, but if you have that retail itch and just can’t scratch it, or if you have been really good and just damn well need a new jacket/skincream because you are down to the tatters/dregs with the last one, then Black Pound Day is setting up permanent residence at Westfield on June 25: one positive way to keep supporting homegrown UK Black brands. It’s a prime opportunity to wield some power with your consumer spend and champion more than 80 Black-owned businesses at the huge new department store.
It’s been just two years since Black Pound Day launched in the middle of the UK lockdown and since then it has gathered huge momentum. Last year saw a successful pop-up store in Westfield – something of a landmark event for Europe’s biggest shopping centre, and the website now has more than 1,500 businesses in its directory, all raising awareness of Black-led businesses up and down the country since. Now the new permanent shopfront will be a destination for eager London shoppers keen to get themselves quality products in haircare, homeware, fashion or beauty, including rising stars such as recent ‘Dragon Den’ winner March Muses with her range of diverse decorations.
Black Pound Day was founded by award-winning UK music artist and So Solid Crew member Swiss, with the aim to get shoppers spending their notes with local and online UK Black-owned businesses, and to get everyone thinking about replacing those usual purchases with services and products to boost the Black economy.
The reason? The stark economic inequalities affecting Black businesses and entrepreneurs in the UK. As an example, for every pound a white household makes, a Black Caribbean one earns 20p, while Black Africans earn just 10p.
Commenting on the launch, Swiss says: ‘We are so excited to be in a position to create this opportunity to bring the best of our homegrown Black brands to the general High street consumer, ensuring sustainability and consistency all year round.’
He continues: ‘Glancing back to when we launched our pop-up store in 2021’s Black History Month, it was a momentous achievement. For those that participated, you could feel the energy shift, how we brought Black retail therapy to the high street, resulting in a mass feeling of reward, which was unprecedented. We really showed how impactful our spending power is, which totally exceeded our expectations. Customers left us with no choice but to go ahead and answer your calls to make the Black Pound Day Store a full-time retail experience all year round.’
So get yourself some guilt-free retail therapy. That jacket was looking really tatty too.
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