Scottish sales decreased by 14.3% on a like-for-like basis last month compared with June 2019, when they had decreased by 2.8%. This is above the three-month average decrease of 21.3% but below the 12-month average decrease of 7.4%.
The figures, taken from the SRC-KPMG Scottish Retail Sales Monitor for June 2020, are an improvement from the month before when Scottish sales were 19.2% down compared to May 2019.
The Sales Monitor also recorded that:
- Total sales in Scotland decreased by 18.6% compared with June 2019, when they had decreased by 1.9%. This was above the three-month average decline of 28.0% and below the 12-month average decline of 8.3%. Adjusted for deflation, the decrease was 17.1%.
- Total Food sales increased 4.0% versus June 2019, when they had decreased by 0.5%. This is above the three-month average growth of 1.9% and the 12-month average growth of 3.2%. The three-month average was below the UK level of 3.8%, while the 12-month average remained above the UK’s levels of 2.7%.
- Total Non-Food sales decreased by 37.3% in June compared to June 2019, when they had decreased by 4.7%. This was above the three-month average decline of 52.7% but below the 12-month average decline of 17.8%.
David Lonsdale (pictured), Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, commented: “Scottish retail sales remained in a funk last month, down by almost a fifth on the same period last year.
“This was the fourth successive month of double-digit decline. Last month’s performance lagged well behind that of the UK as a whole, unsurprising after more than three full months of lockdown.
“June did at least witness an improvement on recent lows, aided by the re-opening of many ‘non-essential’ shops in the final week of the trading period.”
