A PEEBLES supermarket has checked out a national campaign to help older shoppers, and hopes local businesses will also back it.

Sainsbury’s in the Northgate has joined 35 others in Scotland in supporting the Standing Up 4 Sitting Down (su4sd) campaign.

The drive, by the charity Anchor, aims to maintain the amount of seating available in-store so that older and disabled people, pregnant women, or anyone who needs to, can rest.

Shoppers visiting the store, which will be displaying the su4sd sticker, are being encouraged to use the seating by the tills. The campaign was launched after research found that 69 per cent of over 70s said the amount of seating in public places across the country is falling, with 66 per cent believing the lack of seating in shopping areas is a problem.

Anchor’s chief executive Jane Ashcroft CBE said: “It is great that 600 Sainsbury’s branches across the country, including the one in Peebles, will support the Standing Up 4 Sitting Down campaign.

“Older people are often cut off from the online world, so it’s crucial we enable them to connect in other ways.

“Anchor’s campaign calls for change that benefits everyone.

“For shops, providing seating is a great opportunity to boost footfall and spending.

“For older people, it offers the opportunity for important social contact to tackle loneliness, encourages physical exercise, and allows a generation the chance to live later life to its fullest.”

Clare Muscutt, head of customer experience at Sainsbury’s, said: “We work hard to make our supermarkets an inclusive and welcoming environment for customers.

“We provide chairs at the back of our checkouts for anyone that would find them useful, as well as offering assistance at all times to customers who may need additional help shopping in store with us.

“We fully support the Standing Up 4 Sitting Down campaign and hope customers will make use of this seating when they visit our supermarkets.”

Retailers across Peebles are being urged to join the campaign, by pledging to maintain seats for shoppers to use.

To get involved, contact the su4sd team at communications.team@anchor.org.uk.

For more information, visit: www.anchor.org.uk/media-centre/campaigns/standing-up-4-sitting-down