Preparations for this year’s National Independents’ Day (NID) are gathering pace with a national money-off coupon set to appear in the Daily Mirror and Scotland’s Daily Record.

The coupon drive is the first part of the 2006 My Shop is Your Shop (MSYS) programme to be announced by the Federation of Wholesale Distributors.

The coupons will appear on May 26 with more than 10 million estimated to be in circulation in the run up to NID on June 1. A list of participating brands supporting the promotion is expected to be announced soon.

It is estimated that about 30,000 independents participated in special promotions run by suppliers and wholesalers to mark the event in 2005. Special T-shirts, caps and window stickers are available to retailers who want to take part this year.