Covering the five weeks 01 March – 05 April
2025
- Total sales in Scotland increased by 0.3% compared with March
2024, when they had increased by 2.8%. This was below the 3-month
average increase of 0.5% and above the 12-month average decrease
of 0.8%. Adjusted for inflation, there was a year-on-year
increase of 0.7%.
- Scottish Sales increased by 1.5% on a like-for-like basis
compared with March 2024, when they had increased by 2.1%. This
was above the 3-month average increase of 0.9% and above the
12-month average decrease of 0.4%.
- Total Food sales in Scotland decreased by 1.5% compared with
March 2024, when they had increased by 5.1%. This was below the
3-month average increase of 0.6% and below the 12-month average
decrease of 0.3%.
- Total Non-Food sales in Scotland increased by 1.7% compared
with March 2024, when they had increased by 0.9%. This was above
the 3-month average increase of 0.5% and above the 12-month
average decrease of 1.3%.
- Adjusted for the effect of online sales, Non-Food sales in
Scotland increased by 2.0% compared with March 2024, when they
had increased by 0.1%. This was above the 3-month average
increase of 1.1% and above the 12-month average decrease of 1.0%.
Ewan MacDonald-Russell, Deputy Head of the Scottish
Retail Consortium, said:
“Scottish retail sales saw a small rise in March, a
surprisingly strong performance considering Easter fell in the
comparative month in 2024. The rise was lifted by a marked
increase in non-food sales, which offset the predictable fall in
food sales.
“Mother's Day proved to be a boon for retailers with haircare
gifts and beauty products selling well. Computing and gaming
sales continued to perform well, lifted by pre-orders of the new
Nintendo Switch 2.
“These figures will hearten retailers who need good trading to
counterbalance the turbulent economic news, and the significant
public policy costs, businesses are grappling with. With Easter
still to come hopefully there will be more good news next month
as well.”
Linda Ellett, UK Head of Consumer, Retail and
Leisure | KPMG
“As Spring arrived, house and garden related purchases and gifts
for Mother's Day drove non-food retail sales growth in Scotland
in March.
“Amidst downbeat consumer confidence in the UK's economic
outlook, and many households facing rising costs, retail sales
growth feels an achievement. But with non-food sales only
climbing around half a percent on average, competition means
there are some retailers really struggling whilst others win,
especially online. Scotland's retailers will be pushing for
higher growth rates as we move toward summer and holiday season,
particularly as they are now paying higher wage costs and facing
volatility and potential impact on their supply chains due to
global tariffs.”
