People are being urged to do their bit during Shop Local Week to help the high street recover.
The Government-run initiative, which kicked off yesterday, comes as ministers encourage the public to “get back to the way of life they have missed”.
The drive follows the Mirror’s highly praised Shop for Britain campaign, which urged readers to back our shopkeepers.
Organisers of the Shop Local Week say it will pump money into local economies and aid the national recovery.
Official figures out tomorrow are expected to confirm that the UK crashed into recession during the lockdown, with output down 20%.
For updates on coronavirus, follow our live blog HERE
Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: "From corner shops and florists to newsagents, cafes and pubs, our high streets are at the heart of every community.
"Business owners have done an incredible job so far to welcome shoppers back safely, and I hope people across the country will do their bit this week to help our high streets bounce back to protect jobs and support communities."
Figures from research firm Springboard found that footfall across all retail destinations rose by 3.8% last week.
It includes a jump after 6pm on Monday to Wednesday thanks to the Eat Out to Help Out discount scheme.
There are fears that more shops could go bust next month, when many retailers have to pay their quarterly rent.
Many stores failed to pay last quarter’s bill, in June, due to the coronavirus.
The British Retail Consortium is warning that the build-up of rent due next month could prove fatal for some shops.
