Waze launches initiative to support small businesses

Crowd-sourced sat nav app, Waze has announced an initiative to support and drive footfall to independently-owned afternoon tea houses in popular holiday hotspots.

With 49 per cent of the UK’s small businesses anticipating their income to fall in the next year, for the rest of the summer, Waze will support 100 of the UK’s top-rated tea houses by adding destination pins, free of charge, to its map. 

Drivers will see teapots on the Waze map, signaling that a tea house is nearby or along their route. They’ll then have the option to reroute to that location, or save this information and navigate there later.

This integration builds on Waze’s ongoing commitment to driving footfall to small businesses through its products and map.

Last year, Waze worked with its volunteer map editors globally to ensure small business information on the map is correct – including addresses and opening hours – to help these companies make the most of the busy shopping period ahead of the holiday season.

“Independent afternoon tea houses are a key feature of British summer holidays, and after a tough year of lockdown closures, many are looking to make the most of busier towns due to the staycation rush,” said UK Country Manager at Waze, Ru Roberts. “Summer holidays can be frantic, so we wanted to make it easier for drivers to reach these locations and support local businesses. Whether you’re travelling to Cornwall, Devon, or the Lake District and fancy a tea and scone after the long drive, you’ll be able to find one nearby.”

The integration also forms part of Waze’s ‘Traffic Jam’ campaign, which aims to raise awareness of congestion that will be caused by the staycation boom this summer. Waze has developed its own line of strawberry spread made from roadside berries that grow along Britain’s ‘jammiest’ roads, including the A303, M1, and M4.