Boston app rewards shopping local to boost small business recovery

Boston is the latest and largest US city to launch a digital rewards programme to incentivise spending with local businesses.

These initiatives have seen growing interest as cities look to economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through Boston’s four-month pilot, in partnership with Israeli tech start-up Colu, shoppers earn Boston Points automatically at participating businesses when they make purchases with credit or debit cards linked to their B-Local account.

The rewards are applied as cash discounts at redeeming businesses. All rewards are reimbursed by the City of Boston through CARES Act funding so there is no cost to users or businesses. So far, 269 businesses have sign...