THE value of Scottish retail sales in September was down by 1.3 per cent on the same month of last year, the latest industry figures reveal.
The statistics, published today by the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC), show that food sales north of the Border remained weak last month.
And the year-on-year movement in total retail sales value in Scotland in September was once again significantly worse than that in the UK as a whole.
Figures published earlier this month by the British Retail Consortium showed that UK retail sales value in September was up by 3.9 per cent on the same month of last year.
And Scottish retail sales value was last month down significantly on a year earlier even though the comparative figures for September 2014 were particularly weak.
Retail sales value in Scotland in September 2014 had been down by 2.9 per cent on the same month of 2013.
Nevertheless, the SRC notes the year-on-year fall in Scottish retail sales value in September was the least steep since last October, excluding distortions related to the timing of Easter.
The value of Scottish food sales in September was down by 3.6 per cent on the same month of last year.
However, the value of non-food sales north of the Border last month was up by 0.6 per cent on September 2014.
The SRC has highlighted the boost to the retail sales figures for the UK as a whole arising from the stronger economic and housing market performance in London and south-east England.
David McCorquodale, head of SRC survey sponsor and accountancy firm KPMG’s UK retail sector practice, said: “Food sales continued to decline in real terms as they have for the last 22 months, excluding Easter distortions, and much has already been said about the challenges in the grocery sector.
“There was better news in non-food, again compared to a period last year when [independence] referendum fever had gripped the country and paused consumerism. Fashion sales were boosted by more seasonal weather and sales of household products also did well.”
He added: “However, with the gap widening against the rest of the UK, retailers in Scotland expect a lot of hard work ahead to achieve a reasonable Christmas season.”
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