Amy was pushing her trolley through the flower section when she spotted it—a small display of greeting cards tucked next to the sunflowers, each one stamped with gentle words about perseverance. The mum of two paused, picked up a card with a simple message about strength and quietly slipped it into her handbag alongside her shopping list. She didn’t know it then, but she’d just encountered Never Give Up Day.
Supermarkets have quietly become more than places to grab milk and bread. They’re the spaces where families make weekly pilgrimages, where elderly neighbours chat in the aisles, where tired parents juggle children and shopping lists. They’re woven into the rhythm of our lives in ways that coffee shops and parks never quite manage—making them perfect spots for something as personal as celebrating resilience.
The idea belongs to Alain Horoit, a motivational speaker from Belgium who founded Never Give Up Day in 2019. Horoit, nicknamed ‘Mr Never Give Up’, created 18 August as a day to recognise something most of us experience but rarely acknowledge—the quiet decision to keep going when everything feels impossible.
‘Deciding to persevere and maintaining belief in oneself is a victory worth recognising,’ Horoit explains. His focus isn’t on dramatic success stories or major achievements. Instead, he celebrates what he calls ‘the act of not giving up’—those small, daily choices to continue that happen in grocery aisles as much as anywhere else.
When Horoit decided to bring Never Give Up Day into supermarkets for the first time this August, his reasoning was beautifully simple. ‘Supermarkets are uniquely positioned at the heart of daily life—places with unmatched foot traffic and emotional connection to the community,’ he says.
Small Gestures, Big Moments
The in-store celebration doesn’t involve flashy displays or dramatic announcements. Instead, it weaves quiet recognition into the ordinary rhythm of shopping. Free greeting cards come with flower bouquets—simple notes that shoppers can tuck away or pass along to someone who needs encouragement. There’s a MiniHeroes campaign designed to help children understand resilience through age-appropriate activities.
Never Give Up Day mugs sit alongside the usual homeware, their understated design offering a daily reminder without shouting about it. Research shows that grocery stores function as vital ‘third places’ where people build social connections and find emotional support—making these small gestures feel natural rather than forced.
The beauty lies in how ordinary it all feels. A cashier might mention the day while scanning items. A customer service assistant might point out the free cards. Staff members find themselves part of something bigger without disrupting their usual routines.
The Ripple Through Community
What happens in these moments goes beyond just retail. It’s about recognising that grocery stores are developing into social spaces where community connection feels increasingly important.
The campaign taps into what Horoit describes as a ‘universal truth—everyone, at some point, has faced something they thought they couldn’t overcome.’ The celebration honours not just survival, but ‘the strength it took to continue.’
Shoppers react differently to these small acknowledgements. Some pick up cards for friends going through difficult times. Others pause at the displays, perhaps thinking of their own challenges. Parents explain to children what it means to never give up, turning a shopping trip into an unexpected teaching moment about resilience and kindness.
Growing Quietly
Never Give Up Day has gained recognition across 137 U.S. cities, with 18 cities in Texas officially proclaiming the day. The movement has spread internationally to Canada, the UK, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, South Asia and Australia—not through corporate mandates, but through communities choosing to participate.
Much like other grassroots celebrations that unite communities, the supermarket initiative represents something new: retail spaces acknowledging their role as ‘third places’ that foster social interaction and emotional support. It’s a recognition that where people shop can be where they find the encouragement they didn’t know they needed.
Finding Your Own Way In
Participation doesn’t require grand gestures. The Never Give Up Day philosophy centres on three simple actions: ‘Honour the journey. Celebrate the fighters. Inspire the next.’ This might mean acknowledging your own perseverance, recognising someone else’s strength or simply pausing to appreciate how far you’ve come.
The blue ribbon pin has become a symbol of the movement, representing ‘the diverse causes and battles people face’. Wearing one signals support for others navigating their own challenges, creating a quiet network of understanding.
Some people mark the day by reaching out to friends facing difficulties. Others take time to reflect on their own resilience. The beauty is in how personal it becomes—shaped by individual experiences rather than prescribed activities. These quiet lifestyle choices often matter more than grand gestures.
Much like other movements that mobilise communities for grassroots kindness, businesses and organisations can register as certified supporters of resilience, but the movement thrives on grassroots participation rather than corporate sponsorship. It’s about creating spaces—physical and emotional—where people feel less alone in their struggles.
Later that same week, Sarah found herself back in the supermarket’s flower section. This time, she deliberately chose a bouquet that came with a greeting card. She wrote a few words of encouragement and left it on her elderly neighbour’s doorstep—no signature, no explanation needed. The cashier who rang up her purchase smiled knowingly and mentioned that several customers had been doing the same thing since Never Give Up Day. Small acts, rippling outward, one grocery shop at a time.
