TOTAL retail sales in Scotland fell by almost a quarter in February, according to the latest figures published by the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC).
The research conducted by KPMG showed the purchase of children’s clothing aided by the return to school provided a “small but nonetheless discernible boost” to the total figures.
The data also revealed that total sales – excluding food – decreased by almost half (47.4%) in the four weeks January 31 until February 27 compared to last year.
Non-food online sales were also shown to have fallen by 20.2%, compared to February 2020.
Growth was seen in food retail, with total food sales increasing by 3.1% compared to the same four-week period last year.
David Lonsdale, director at the SRC, said: “February wasn’t quite as dismal as January for Scottish retail sales, but the overall picture remains unremittingly bleak.
“With Scots stuck at home and unable to visit shops non-food categories remained in the doldrums, although school clothing and shoes provided a chink of light for hard-pressed fashion retailers as parents prepared children for the return to the classroom.”
