Scottish retailers buck downward trend
High street sales in Scotland rose 3.4 per cent on the back of good weather and seasonal offers.
Like-for-sale sales rose in July against a UK drop of 1.9 per cent, with grocery and clothing the strongest performers. Total sales grew 8 per cent, an increase from 6.9 per cent in June.
Fiona Moriarty, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium said the figures mask the true picture on the high street which is still struggling with price deflation, intense competition and price-conscious shoppers.
Discounting and extended sale periods encouraged shoppers back into stores. Hot weather helped, with sales of items such as barbecues and summer accessories bringing a boost to the struggling DIY and clothing sectors.
The SRC said the consumer spending slowdown was still evident but “there are signs of a levelling off of performance”. It added: “This may well signify that we are close to the bottom of the cycle.” Sales of autumn and back-to-school lines could give August sales a similar lift.
Moriarty added that there was evidence of a sales dip in Edinburgh and Stirling in early July, because of fears surrounding the G8 summit at Gleneagles. John Lewis reported sales down as much as 30 per cent on the weekend of 2nd July.
