Retail sales are boosted by early Easter

RETAIL sales, buoyed by the early Easter break, grew last month for the first time since June, figures have shown.

Sales of home accessories, health and beauty, home textiles, and toys were boosted during the five weeks between February 25 and March 30, according to the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC).

But the SRC warned that traders faced “continuing pressures”.

Data from the SRCKPMG Scottish retail sales monitor showed that total sales increased by 2.8% compared with March 2023, above the threemonth average increase of 2.1% and below the 12-month average growth of 5.2%.

When adjusted for inflation, year-on-year growth was 1.5%.

Categories such as DIY, garden furniture, and household appliances fared less well over the Easter period, data showed.

Retailers’ costs will increase in April with the minimum wage due to go up, along with business rates for larger shops, retail experts warned.

Ewan MacDonaldRussell, deputy head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said: “One swallow doesn’t make a summer, but these positive figures for March are a balm for retailers in Scotland after many months of difficult trading.

“Data shows a pick-up in demand across food and non-food, with the total value of retail sales, once adjusted for shop price inflation, growing for the first time since last June, buoyed by the early Easter and associated improvement in footfall.

“Enthusiasm over March’s sprightlier results is understandable after a sustained and difficult period.

“However, this needs to be tempered given continuing pressures on retailers’ outgoings and the fact that some Easterrelated purchases will have been pulled forward into March. It’s too early to say Scottish retail sales have turned the corner.”