DOUGH THIS IS CHRISTMAS
Shoppers splash out more than £110m as retailers slash prices earlier than usual
More than 800,000 shoppers responded to last-minute price slashing by spending more than £ 110million in Scotland’s high streets and malls yesterday.
The major streets in our biggest cities were crammed with bargain hunters as so- called Super Saturday revitalised the retail sector. Despite drizzle and low temperatures, people . headed g to Glasgow’s Buchanan Street, Aberdeen’s Union Street and Pr inces Street in Edinburgh as well as town centres across the country. Customers enjoyed widespread discounting, with an estimated £116million spent in stores with an additional £ 22mi l l ion spent over the internet.
The figures were based on analysis by the Centre for Retail
Research (CRR), which spoke to shoppers across Britain.
Professor Joshua Bamfield, CRR director, said: “Super Saturday has been a good shopping day. Spending on Christmas has not been great so far this year.
“It’s been on the low side because of really terrible weather and because I think consumer conf idence has been hit by politics in the last few weeks.
“But Super Saturday and the sales seems to have been good according to the figures.
“Christmas this year is bigger than last year, only slightly by 0.5 per cent to 0.8 per cent but up none the less.
“Two weeks ago, sales appeared to have been pretty dire but it seems retailers decided to really push it, particularly in the clothing and footwear markets, where demand has been very flat.
“With approximately 850,000 shoppers, Saturday seems to have been successful. The streets have been very busy.”
Reductions were made to clothing and shoes as well as beauty products and perfumes, with discounts on many items that would not normally go on sale until Boxing Day.
Fashion chain Gap cut prices by up to 60 per cent in stores while John Lewis, Debenhams, House of Fraser, Ted Baker and H& M offered up to 50 per cent off.
Boots had half-price offers on
fragrances and gift sets, while its three-for- two offers were also expected to drive sales.
Top Shop and Miss Selfridge, which had already slashed their prices by 40 per cent and 50 per cent respectively earlier in the week, increased their discounts to up to 60 per cent yesterday.
Marks & Spencer also added knitwear to its price- cutting promotions offering discounts and a half-price offer on beauty gifts. The country’s biggest shopping centres saw scores of customers queuing before opening time.
David Lyon, marketing manager at intu Braehead, near Glasgow said: “Christmas shoppers were waiting for our doors to open at 9am.
“The army of shoppers coming to intu Braehead grew steadi ly throughout the morning and by lunchtime we were extremely busy and that continued throughout the afternoon. Santa might have to do a double run this Christmas.
“We’ve also drafted in extra staff to our car parks to help shoppers find a vacant spot.
“People seem to be in a good mood while they’re out shopping, as we’ve seen lots of families in the centre.
“They seem to be making a day of it as our cafes have also been very busy.”
David Pierotti , general manager for Si lverburn, Glasgow, said the shopping centre had been bustling.
He added: “It’s been busy and the footfall on Friday was up on last year. Customers are sav v y and budget for Christmas. This weekend is anticipated to be mega for us.”
Dundee’s Overgate Centre said it expected to see about 100,000 shoppers this weekend and was hoping to see sales in excess of £1million.
Mal l manager Malcolm Angus said: “The Christmas countdown is well and truly on and the atmosphere in the stores is fantastic with all expecting a bumper rush of footfall, particularly across beauty, fragrance and leisure.
“Last-minute shoppers can take advantage of many great offers that have launched in some stores today.”
Some analysts said this year’s Super Saturday was extra successful because it fell in a “sweet spot” for retailers four days before Christmas. For an increasing though, preferred were Next on day digital option. offer, number delivery was with of shoppers, still many deals the online up until retailers Christmas able to Eve. deliver
The Scottish Chambers of Commerce chief executive Dr Liz Cameron OBE said: “Retailers are heavily reliant on the so- called ‘golden quarter’ of the year when shoppers rush home with their presents.
“People are still spending on gi f ts but increasingly they’re buying online, which has been challenging for high street- only retailers.
“Rising costs have also been a challenge in the retail sector, which pays a s igni f icant proportion of nondomestic business rates in Scotland.”