Scottish retail sales grew by 0.6 per cent in the three months to March, as Scotland struggled to keep pace with the British retail rates. Figures released on Wednesday by the Scottish Government showed the value of retail sales grew 0.6 per cent in the three months to 31 March, with volumes up just 0.3 per cent.

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Frozen food specialist Farmfoods reported pre-tax profit of £20 million in 2012, up 13.6 per cent from the year before, despite a small fall in sales to £595 million. The Scottish retailer said that despite competitive trading conditions, it had managed to increase its profits by focussing on energy efficiency and reducing its employee base.

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Statistics from the British Retail Consortium have shown that footfall in Scottish shops decreased by 3.8 per cent in March. The high street was the area most impacted by the cold temperatures, with a drop in sales of 7 per cent compared to a 2.4 per cent decrease in Scottish shopping centres. Helen Dickinson, the director general of the BRC, stated on the company’s website that “The prolonged cold was the main culprit for deterring shoppers, especially compared against the far milder March of 2012.

Posted by Ryan Legge

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The Scottish Retail Consortium and KPMG’s latest Retail Sales Monitor has revealed that Scottish retailers saw an increase in total sales for the third month in a row. February’s sales figures, which were up 0.7 per cent compared the same period last year, were largely driven by sales of food items, which increased 2 per cent over February 2012, while overall sales of non-food items fell by 0.5 per cent.

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Capital Shopping Centres has launched a new partnership initiative with Reid Kerr College in Paisley that could provide 3,000 retail jobs in the area. Operator of Lakeside, Trafford Centre and MetroCentre, CSC will work with the local college to deliver a range of retail training course at its Braehead shopping centre in Renfrewshire.

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Scotland’s shoppers remain cautious as retail sales lag behind the rest of the UK. The latest figures from the Scottish Government show the overall value of goods sold by Scottish retailers fell 0.6 per cent between April and June, with volumes also dropping 0.3 per cent.

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Scottish shop sales rose by 1.2 per cent in June compared to figures a year before, although according to the figures released by the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) like-for-like sales showed no sign of growth. According to the BBC, it’s the 15th consecutive month that Scottish sales growth had fallen behind the UK as a whole, although the discrepancy had narrowed for June.

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Oddbins has revealed plans to continue expanding its off license stores, a sure sign the retailer is finally back on top. Despite past struggles in the sector, Oddbins is now looking to add five more stores to its 35-strong portfolio by the end of this year, signalling a return to form for the high street chain.

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Despite reporting a growth in retail sales for the first quarter, Scotland’s business leaders have warned that the state of the high streets remain “fragile” against challenging conditions. The latest Scottish retail index saw sales volumes rise 0.7 per cent in the first quarter of 2012, resulting in an annual growth rate of 0.6 per cent, marginally ahead of the UK’s overall 0.4 per cent rate.

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Aberdeen’s Union Square centre has revealed its highest ever first quarter footfall since opening back in October 2009. From January to March of this year, more than 3.2 million people visited the Hammerson development, representing a 28 per cent increase on 2010’s figures.

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