High Street stores and non-essential purchases shunned

BREXIT: Sales fall for fifth consecutive month as political uncertainty remains

The continuing Brexit impasse may be holding consumers back from serious spending commitments as shoppers “focus on necessities”, a report by the Scottish Retail Consortium and KPMG has found.

The Scottish Retail Sales Monitor report for September found total sales in Scotland fell by 1.9% compared with the same period last year when they increased by 0.9%.

In September, Scottish sales fell by 2.3% on a like-for-like basis compared with September 2018, when they declined by 0.2%.

Total food sales increased by 2.3% against last year, when they increased by 3.7%.

Adjusted for the estimated effect of online sales, total non-food sales decreased by 5.3% in September 2019 compared to September 2018, when they remained flat.

Paul Martin, UK head of retail at accountancy giant KPMG, said the results reflected the overwhelmingly challenging conditions currently facing Scotland’s high streets at this time of considerable uncertainty.

He said: “There’s clear evidence that uncertainty – both politically and economically – is impacting consumer confidence with shoppers choosing to slim down unnecessary purchases and focus on the essentials.

“The next few months could be makeor-break for many of Scotland’s most high-profile brands.

“A clear strategy will be essential, focusing on cost reduction and sales maximisation.”

The next few months could be make or break for many of Scotland’s most highprofile brands. PAUL MARTIN KPMG