Struggling retail sector loses 16,000 jobs

Industry leaders have called for more help for Scotland’s struggling retailers, as it emerged the sector has lost 16,000 jobs in seven years.

Analysis from the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) showed the scale of the changing retail industry, using Scottish Government data to track retail turnover, job numbers and shop numbers between 2008 and 2015.

Results indicated retail change is affecting communities in contrasting ways. Overall, Scotland’s retail sector turnover grew by nine per cent, with the Lothians and Edinburgh enjoying growth of between 23 and 56 per cent. Yet turnover in eleven of the 32 local authority areas dropped.

Across Scotland, 16,000 retail jobs were lost during the seven-year period and there was a clear link between falling employment and shop numbers. The most significant numbers of shop closures were found in Inverclyde, Perth and Kinross.

Overall, the SRC said the data supported its analysis that larger urban areas were more likely to retain shops. Ewan Macdonald-russell, SRC head of policy, said it was not too late to help struggling areas: “The window to positively shape retail reinvention in Scotland is closing. Now is the time for action to be taken.”

According to Macdonaldrussell, the Scottish Government should abandon its proposals for a new out-of-town levy and work to reduce business rates, while more local authorities should use the local discretionary rates relief scheme to help high street businesses and support struggling shopkeepers. 0 SRC’S head of policy Ewan Macdonald-russell