METRO’s Own Business Day celebrates independent businesses for the fifth year

That’s why on Own Business Day activities are planned in 23 METRO countries. For example, the wholesaler is inviting all employees worldwide to actively support their favorite own business with a 20 Euro voucher. Already before 13 October, every own business can present their business and services on www.own-business-day.com and will also be listed free of charge on Google Maps.

Whether it's the cosy Italian restaurant next door, the small café on the corner or the shop in the neighbourhood, open 24/7: Own businesses enrich society every day. That’s why METRO has launched the Own Business Day in 2016 to celebrate the self-employed in a special way: Every year on the 2nd Tuesday of October, we want to promote independent businesses and give them the attention they deserve. COVID-19 has an impact on everyone, with the gastronomy sector continuing to be put to the test. However, these past months also offered the opportunity to create a greater understanding of the role of gastronomy for society and to now celebrate their contribution to our daily lives as well as their spirit of endurance.

Accordingly, activities around the Own Business Day are planned in 23 METRO countries. On 8 October a panel discussion in Duesseldorf, organised by METRO, including voices from economy, politics and restaurateurs, debated on how effective the state aid already provided to the gastronomy industry has been and what the industry needs right now to get through the upcoming winter. The following questions were also touched: What do founders and founders in the gastronomy sector need in order to gain a foothold in our cities? What can cities and politics do in concrete terms to ensure that owner-managed restaurants, cafés and bars are successful in the long term?

The Covid-19 pandemic has plunged the gastronomy industry into an existential crisis. The industry, which is one of the most affected economically, is defending itself against the economic consequences with creativity and perseverance. Many restaurateurs are rethinking, redesigning, some are even starting up. In this way the sector is showing courage and at the same time creating a significant basis for the quality of life in our towns and communities.

Against this background, METRO has launched the #CountOnUs initiative and invites all its employees worldwide to support their personal favour-ites with a 20 Euro voucher directly on site. In this way, METRO would like to thank the self-employed for their commitment over the past months and underline that the company is living up to its promise “Your success is our business”.

In addition, METRO is calling everyone to participate in the initiative #OneForYou on social media. The idea: People show their appreciation for each other by, for example, ordering a drink for another person whom they cannot meet in person – especially in times of social distancing. In this way, they help own businesses to generate more sales and increase customer traffic at their favourite own business and on their social media channels at the same time.

All information about the participating businesses: www.own-business-day.com

METRO is a leading international wholesale company with food and non-food assortments that specialises on serving the needs of hotels, restaurants, and caterers (HoReCa) as well as independent traders. Around the world, METRO has some 16 million customers who can choose whether to shop in one of the large-format stores, order online and collect their purchases at the store or have them delivered. METRO in addition also sup-ports the competitiveness of entrepreneurs and own businesses with digital solutions and thereby contributes to cultural diversity in retail and hospitality. Sustainability is a key pillar of METRO’s business. METRO has been the European sector leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. The company operates in 34 countries and employs more than 100,000 people worldwide. In financial year 2018/19, METRO generated sales of €27.1 billion.