Scottish Retail Sales Monitor
Scottish RSM: September brings stability after summer of falling Scottish sales
Ewan MacDonald Russell, Deputy Head | Scottish Retail Consortium:
September brought a little stability to Scottish retail sales after a summer of falling sales. Sales rose by a microscopic 0.1 per cent in real terms with consumers returning to the shops after a summer packed with events and experiences.
Fashion and footwear had a better month as the changeable weather encouraged shoppers to refresh autumnal wardrobes. The figures were also impacted by falling prices as competition between retailers improved the options for consumers. There also remain supply chain challenges due to international instability which is adding both time and cost to deliveries. Grocery sales fell once again and for a fourth successive month.
Whilst these figures are an improvement on August, the truth is sales remain stuck in the doldrums. Retailers will be looking to the Chancellor’s Budget later this month with hopes that there will be some optimism to help bolster consumer confidence ahead of the crucial Christmas trading period. They’ll also be hoping there aren’t any expensive surprises for businesses already weighed down by costly businesses rates and a slew of regulatory initiatives.
Linda Ellett, UK Head of Consumer | Retail and Leisure | KPMG:
September saw modest, but welcome, sales growth for retailers. Children’s clothing, footwear and accessories saw a boost from the start of the school year, with household budgets feeling slightly less constrained for some parents compared to last year.
With energy prices having again risen, all eyes now turn to the Budget and what impact that will have on household discretionary spending in the final quarter of the year.
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