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Oct 19, 2016
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Scottish clothing retail was weak in September sunshine, says SRC

Published
Oct 19, 2016

Clothing was the dark spot in Scotland’s sunnier retail sales picture for September as the overall rate of decline slowed, but fashion lagged behind other product sectors.

Fashion sales lagged the foods sector as the weather stayed warm


The latest Scottish Retail Sales Monitor, released Wednesday, showed total sales down 0.6% year-on-year last month, a continuation of a trend for falling sales. But it was better than the 2.2% decline in August and 1.8% drop in July and with price deflation factored-out, sales actually rose 1.1% last month.

On a like-for-like basis sales also fell but, again, the rate of decline slowed with a 0.4% dip compared to a 1.9% fall in August and 1.7% in July.

Total non-food sales were down 1.7% September, worse than the overall 0.6% decline and continuing their run of falls since September last year. But with prices adjusted for deflation/inflation, non-food sales rose by 0.5%.

Unseasonably warm weather had both a negative and positive effect on sales during the month with the total figure boosted by food sales as shoppers continued with summer dining habits as long as possible.

Meanwhile, clothing suffered from the late onset of autumn, there SRC said. As retailers stepped up the pace of their autumn/winter collection drops in-store, consumers kept away from cool weather clothing like knits and coats.

However, given the smaller fall in total sales and the unusually warm weather, the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) said the figures make it “cautiously optimistic”.

But an SRC spokesman also said the recovery is fragile and that rising import costs following the plunge in there value of the pound could dent consumer sentiment in the months ahead.

Paul Martin, UK head of retail at KPMG, which compiled the data, said: “A lacklustre performance in clothing and footwear suggests the new season’s warmer designs failed to entice consumers busy enjoying the last of the summer sun.

“Retailers will look to recover as the temperatures begin to drop again, leading consumers back into the shops to pick up their autumn wardrobes… Retailers will be banking on seasonal sale days like Black Friday, and the festive period, to make up for what has been a distinctly average 2016 so far.”

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