SRC urges ministers to act as footfall and sales plunge
SCOTTISH Retail Consortium (SRC) bosses are calling on Westminster and Holyrood governments to do more to help the sector following plummeting sales and footfall figures.
The latest SRC data shows total food sales in Scotland covering the four weeks to 2 May tumbled by 4% compared with April 2025, when they rose by 2.2%.
And total sales in Scotland fell by 1.2% compared with the same time last year, when they jumped 4.5%.
Meanwhile, Scottish footfall covering the same period dropped by 5.2% year on year, down from a rise of 3.2% in March.
SRC director David Lonsdale conceded that Easter falling early this year had impacted on the most recent sales and footfall stats.
But he highlighted that this was a second successive monthly contraction for sales as concern over the implications of the Middle East conflict weakened consumer confidence and as households came to terms with higher outlays on water charges, council tax and at the fuel pumps.
Lonsdale also pointed out that grocery sales had fallen over the quarter as a whole and had grown by only a paltry 0.1% during the past 12 months as shoppers sought value by buying own-brand products and by making the most of loyalty schemes and promotions.
The SRC director said the gloomy footfall figures came at a tricky time for retailers, who had seen employment costs spike while absorbing additional outlays on fuel and shipping due to the US-Israeli war with Iran.
He continued: “Global events such as the situation in the Middle East and higher commodity prices might be out of government’s hands, but costs imposed here at home are not.
“It’s why the UK and Scottish governments should help retailers’ efforts to keep down shop prices for households in the short, medium and long term by working with us to reduce the statutory costs retailers and their suppliers face.
“This should begin with a reduction in food businesses’ energy costs, especially non-commodity charges, a more competitive business rate and curbing or pausing any new regulations.”
