The “Smile Again” campaign was launched on Thursday on social media, and through posters and media adverts.

It aims to highlight the quality of local shops, craftspeople and restaurants and encourage residents and cross-border workers to return to them.

“After weeks of social distancing, a visit to a favourite restaurant, a hairdresser's salon or a long shopping trip will trigger a big smile from the customer as well as at the salesperson, hence the motto ‘smile again’,” the government explained in a statement published on Thursday.

The campaign follows the launch of “Safe to Serve” a quality label developed after lockdown was eased and issued to restaurants that adhere to high hygiene standards.

The president of food and drink federation Horesca, Alain Rix, stressed the importance of supporting local restaurants saying that “a city or village without a café, restaurant, or hotel does not reflect the social atmosphere that we like so much. Supporting local businesses means maintaining employment, but also maintaining the social relations that form our culture and our life together. As a meeting place, our sector has represented conviviality for thousands of years and if we don't want to lose it, support us.”

Craftsman federation president Michel Reckinger added that an act of solidarity like choosing to spend more money locally contributes to a more sustainable economic recovery.

Director of the Luxembourg retail confederation Claude Bizjak said if consumers are still hesitating, he could “reassure all customers that they can shop in complete safety.”