During the 2020 lockdown period, Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig (AGW) & Arloesi Môn commissioned research and discovered Covid-19 caused customers to change the way they shop.
Many people turned to local shops such as the butcher and the local bakery, and there have been great examples of businesses adapting the way they offer their product / service e.g. offering a delivery service, collaborating with other local businesses. We also saw a dramatic change in online shopping during the pandemic. Sainsbury’s, the UK’s second largest supermarket, recently said 40% of its sales were now online – compared with 19% a year ago.
Through this research it became clear there was a need for an app / website that would enable local food and drink businesses to sell their products online. A one stop shop similar to Amazon, but all the businesses were local!
Siop.io is an app developed by Kodergarten, a team of Welsh developers, that would enable businesses to do this. Paul Sandham from Kodergarten explains how the app will work “With the Siop.io website / app, customers can enter their postcode into the system, which will then list all the businesses that serve in their area. Customers then choose the products they want and pay for online. They then have the option of having the product delivered to their home or collected directly from the business.”
AGW & Arloesi Môn are looking for 15 businesses in Gwynedd and 15 on Anglesey to register and trial this app. They are looking for businesses that meet the following criteria:
1. Independent Food and Drink Business
2. Located in Gwynedd or Anglesey
3. Not with an online sales system at present or with one that is inadequate
Rhys Gwilym, Project Officer at AGW explains more “We will work with the businesses and support them as they begin using the app e.g help them upload their products, explain the payment process. We saw so much support for local businesses during the first lockdown, we’re hoping this app will help people to continue that support.”
To learn more about the app AGW & Arloesi Môn are hosting an event on zoom with the developers. On Tuesday 10th of November at 7pm they will be showing how the app works and answering any questions you may have. To register for the event and to receive the zoom link go to -https://bit.ly/2HYvE13
If you are a food & drink business and would like to be considered please complete the application form available here: https://bit.ly/3516Q1a by 13th November 2020.
The project has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities - Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government. It’s also part funded by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), Gwynedd Council and the Isle of Anglesey Charitable Trust.