Scottish retail sales fell by 0.7% after inflation in September, with growth in food spending offset by weaker demand for non-food purchases, The Herald reports.
Figures from the Scottish Retail Consortium and KPMG Scottish Retail Sales Monitor showed total sales increased by 0.7% in cash terms compared with September 2025. That was below the three-month average growth of 2.7% and the 12-month average of 1.9%.
The Herald reported that food sales rose by 1.6% year on year, ahead of the three-month average of 1.2% and the 12-month average of 0.5%.
Non-food sales, however, fell by 0.1%. That compared with average growth of 3.9% over three months and 3% over twelve months.
Beauty products, toys and children’s clothing performed well, while clothing overall and household purchases struggled. The SRC warned that weak footfall, consumer confidence and continuing cost-of-living pressures were encouraging households to economise and postpone purchases, according to the newspaper.
Ewan MacDonald-Russell, deputy head of the Scottish Retail Consortium, said, as reported by The Herald: “Shoppers continued to rein in spending in September with retail sales slumping again.
“Sales fell by 0.7 per cent in real terms, an improvement on August, but still in negative territory.”
He added: “Beauty products did well last month with consumers focusing on small treats instead of lavish gifts.
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“Toy sales continued to perform well as did children’s clothes, but clothing overall and household purchases all struggled.”
Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure at KPMG, said, as reported by The Herald: “Scotland’s retail figures for September point to an increasingly selective consumer, with shoppers prioritising some categories while postponing purchases elsewhere.”
