Scottish retail sales boosted by weather and sport
Scottish retail sales achieved the best growth in more than two years in July, according to figures released by the Scottish Retail Consortium and KPMG.
Total Scottish sales increased by 4% year-on-year in the month, which was the best performance since April 2011. Like-for-like sales rose by 1.4% as a double whammy of sunshine and sporting successes boosted the public’s mood and its willingness to spend further after a promising pick-up in June.
Total food sales were 5.6% up on July 2012 while total non-food sales grew by 2.6% to record the best performance since December 2009.
Fiona Moriarty, SRC director, said: “Summer food, seasonal fashions and outdoor living products were stand-out performers in what was an impressive month. In the second warmest July on record, demand for picnic and barbeque fare drove a strong performance for food, while non-food leapt up to its best result since December 2009.
Never Miss a Retail Update!“By way of contrast, it was a disappointing month for furniture and other homewares, as appetite for ‘indoor living’ was diminished and many people prioritised putting their money towards updating their summer wardrobes, taking advantage of the good deals on offer, and enjoying the sunshine.
“It’s too early to tell whether what we’re seeing is a welcome but short-lived uplift or the beginnings of longer-lasting economic recovery. But this run of good growth, bringing the three month average to 2.5%, means things are certainly looking up for the time being.”
For the first time since March 2011, total sales growth outpaced that of the UK. The rise in total sales follows an increase of 2.8% in June.
