Labour Party leader Ed Miliband met shopkeepers in Croydon on Saturday to mark a day to celebrate and promote small businesses.
The Doncaster MP was joined by Croydon North colleague Steve Reed and Chuka Umunna, MP for Streatham, as he visited shops in Upper Norwood and Crystal Palace.
Bookseller Crow and Domali in Westow Street, Good Taste in Westow Hill, and Papagaio in Church Road were among the firms paid a visit on Small Business Saturday.
The Labour politicians sample food in Good Taste
The campaign, originally conceived in the US and championed in the UK by shadow business secretary Mr Umunna, saw independent retailers offer special promotions to encourage consumers to shop locally.
Mr Miliband buys a fire engine jigsaw from Papagaio
The Labour leader said: "It was Chuka Umunna who brought Small Business Saturday to Britain and I am delighted that other parties are joining us in celebrating the shops, the workshops and the digital start-ups which will power Britain forward into the future. "
Mr Umunna said: "Having seen what a huge difference Small Business Saturday has made in the USA, I was determined to see a British version and a broad coalition of businesses, business organisations and local councils has been brought together to make this a reality.
"There are fantastic events taking place in communities right across the country, encouraging people to buy from local independent shops and recognising the huge contribution which small businesses make."
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