Business association
Updated September 30, 2026
In one sentence
A business association brings together the businesses on one street or in one neighborhood. Together, they liven up the area, promote it and defend their interests.
Different forms from country to country
Some associations are voluntary and live on members’ dues. Others are set up by law. In the United Kingdom, for example, a Business Improvement District covers a defined area. If a majority of businesses vote in favour, all of them pay a levy, often 1 to 4% of rateable value, for up to 5 years. Other countries have similar schemes under other names.
How they connect to loyalty
Many associations want people to shop in the neighborhood. They run street festivals, shared gift cards or shared loyalty programs. For example, Town & City gift cards can only be spent at registered businesses. They exist in more than 200 towns and cities across the United Kingdom, Ireland and North America.
With the card
Each member business keeps its own card. The association can launch a neighborhood gift card. It also follows an anonymous dashboard: overall figures, never a business’s customer list.
The “Quartier Tournesol” association (an invented name) brings together 25 businesses on one street. It launches a neighborhood gift card for the holidays. It follows overall results in an anonymous dashboard, without seeing any customer’s name.
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