BILINGUAL Bosses Have the Business Advantage!
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Using Welsh alongside English can help businesses in Wales build stronger local relationships, improve accessibility and present a more authentic Welsh identity.
This guide explains the main benefits of bilingual business practices, offers practical design advice and looks at several Welsh brands that use the language in their public-facing work.
1. Why bilingualism matters in business
It strengthens local trust
Many Welsh speakers value businesses that make space for their language. Using Welsh on signs, websites, packaging and customer service can show that a company understands the community it serves.
This can make the brand feel more local, thoughtful and trustworthy.
Bilingualism is most effective when Welsh is treated as a genuine part of the customer experience rather than as a decorative extra.
It improves accessibility
Offering information in Welsh and English gives customers a choice. This is especially useful for public-facing services, tourism, retail, education and organisations working with Welsh-speaking communities.
It gives the brand a clear Welsh identity
Welsh can help a business stand out, particularly when its products, location or story are closely connected with Wales.
A bilingual approach can also appeal to visitors and customers looking for products with a distinctive Welsh character.
2. How to present both languages clearly
Give both languages equal care
The Welsh and English versions should both be accurate, natural and easy to read. Poor translation or inconsistent terminology can damage trust rather than build it.
Keep the layout easy to follow
Use clear headings, enough spacing and a consistent order throughout signs, menus, websites and printed material.
Avoid making one language noticeably smaller, harder to find or less readable than the other.
Use a simple style guide
A short internal guide can record preferred terminology, tone, capitalisation and the order in which the languages appear.
This helps different staff members, designers and translators keep the brand consistent.
3. Welsh businesses using bilingualism
Brecon Carreg
Brecon Carreg uses Welsh and English on its packaging, helping connect the product with its source and Welsh identity.
Lidl
Lidl has used Welsh on signs, promotions and customer-facing services in Wales.
Tan y Castell
Tan y Castell uses bilingual packaging to support its identity as a producer of traditional Welsh food.
Welsh Brew Tea
Welsh Brew Tea uses Welsh identity throughout its name, packaging and marketing.
4. How to get started
Begin with the customer touchpoints people see most often, such as your homepage, contact page, signs, menus, packaging or welcome messages.
Choose a small number of important areas and make them genuinely bilingual before expanding further.
Create a short list of your most-used customer phrases and have them professionally translated and checked before placing them across the business.
Welsh Words provides Welsh translation and language support for businesses, organisations and individuals who want clear, natural Welsh.
Choose one bilingual improvement
Audit a single customer journey: finding the business, asking a question, buying and receiving follow-up. Mark one point where Welsh is absent or harder to use, then fix that point with professionally checked copy.
Measure the result through enquiries, use and customer feedback rather than assuming a commercial gain that the evidence cannot prove.
Sources and image credits
- Welsh Government: The Welsh language and the economy: evidence review
- Business Wales: Welsh in your business
- Welsh Language Commissioner: Guidance for businesses and charities
- Image rights: Media provenance: captions and credits above govern the named images. A legacy file without its own credit remains in the Welsh Words media library, but its creator/licence metadata must be checked before it is used elsewhere.
