Scotland’s retail sector experienced a slight downturn in February, with shopper footfall declining by 0.3% compared to the same period last year, according to the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC). This follows a 1% increase in January, indicating a slowdown in retail activity.
Despite the overall decline, certain retail destinations demonstrated resilience, with shopping centre footfall rising by 0.3% and retail parks seeing a 1% increase. However, these gains were lower than the previous month’s figures.
Regional disparities were evident, with Edinburgh witnessing a notable 1.9% increase in footfall, while Glasgow experienced a decline of 1.1%.
This highlights the diverse performance across Scotland’s major cities. Nationally, Scotland ranked eighth in the SRC’s growth rank tables among 13 UK areas, with Wales, North West England, and London leading the list.
Industry experts point to several challenges that could impact future retail performance, including rising household bills, geo-political tensions, and government-mandated costs. However, retailers also have opportunities to adapt and thrive.
Retail parks have consistently performed well due to their convenience and variety of offerings, and retailers can leverage these strengths to attract more customers.
By enhancing their offerings and focusing on convenience and choice, retailers can boost footfall and sales.
Additionally, with Easter falling late this year, retailers have a chance to create promotions and events to drive sales in March.
David Lonsdale, director of the SRC, said: “Shopper footfall to Scotland’s retail destinations faded in February, nudging down by 0.3% compared to 2024.
“It was a weaker performance than January with store visits a little lower across all destinations.
“That said, growth in foot traffic to stores in retail parks, shopping centres and Edinburgh remained positive.
“The overall figures were hampered by a marked dip during the half-term school break.
“We await the publication of our sales monitor later this month to see what it all meant for actual retail sales, as time-poor consumers who are unable to get to the shops are often adept at using online channels to make purchases.”
While Scotland’s retail sector faces challenges, there are opportunities for growth through strategic adaptation and innovation.
