RETAILERS in Scotland last month suffered their worst year-on-year plunge in sales for any December on record, amid coronavirus-related restrictions, latest figures reveal. Total Scottish retail sales value last month was down by 16.6 per cent on December 2019. The Scottish Retail Consortium’s latest monthly figures, published today, also show the average year-on-year drop in total sales value during 2020 was 12.8%. The industry body declared that a “blue Christmas” had ended the “worst year for Scottish retail sales”, amid lockdowns at the start and end of the crucial trading month which resulted in closures of shops deemed to be “non-essential”. The value of non-food sales in Scotland in December was down by 33.4% on the same month of 2019. Non-food sales generally reflect more discretionary elements of consumer spending.
2020: Worst year on record for Scottish retail
Scottish retail sales fell by 12.8% in 2020, making it the worst year since records began in 1999, according to the SRC-KPMG Scottish Retail Sales Monitor.
Total non-food sales decreased by 33.4% in the five weeks to 2 January, compared to December 2019, its worst performance since June. This falls below the three-month average decline of 25.8% and the 12-month average decline of 26.5%.
When adjusted for the estimated effect of online sales in the period, total non-food sales decreased by 17.7% in December compared to same period last year.
Total sales in Scotland across the same period decreased by 16.6% year-on-year. Like-for-like Scottish sales decreased by 15.6% year-on-year. This is below the three-month average decline of 11% and a 12-month average decline of 11.3%.
Co-op bosses urge MSPs to pass new law protecting shop workers
Co-op bosses have written to MSPs urging them to support Daniel Johnson’s Bill (Co-op/PA Media)
Supermarket bosses are urging MSPs to pass a new law improving protection for shop staff.
Derek Furnival, the managing director of the Co-op in Scotland, has written to members of the Scottish Parliament to ask them to support legislation which has been put forward by Labour’s Daniel Johnson.
It comes after the retail group said lockdown had seen an increase in incidents of anti-social behaviour, verbal abuse and physical assaults within its stores.