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Published
Jul 24, 2018
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Research reveals dramatic decline in retail jobs in Scotland

Published
Jul 24, 2018

16,000 retail jobs vanished in Scotland in the space of seven years, new analysis from the Scottish Retail Consortium has shown. The organisation is calling on local authorities to take action to revert the decline of retail communities.


SRC


Using government data, the Scottish Retail Consortium tracked changes in job numbers, shops and retail turnover between 2008 and 2015. It found that there was a correlation between falling shop numbers and the thinning numbers of shop workers.

Some parts of Scotland suffered more job losses than others, with Midlothian and East Dunbartonshire even reporting retail employment rises of 14.71% and 2.78% during the period, respectively.

The average drop in shop jobs was 6.3% and the worst falls were in Inverclyde and Falkkirk, which fell by 25% and 27.2% respectively.

"This analysis demonstrates how retail change is affecting the whole of Scotland, but in very different ways,” said Ewan MacDonald-Russell, SRC head of policy.

"For some communities this is leading to new opportunities; with investment in new jobs, more productive and interesting work, and different business models.

"However, we should not be blind to the serious repercussions these changes can have for local communities. We are seeing shop closures and job losses which will reduce retail involvement in some town centres. That change is inevitable, and presents a real challenge to government and Local authorities.”

The retail organisation is asking the government to help slow down the process and buy time for new investments and developments.

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