22/07/2009 - Scotland's retail sales bounce back
New statistics have shown that Scotland's retail sales bounced back in June after the worst figures for almost nine years.
After factors such as store openings and closures were dismissed, sales for the last month were 6.6% higher than a year earlier and 2.2% higher on a like-for-like basis.
The Scottish Retail Consortium said that food sales increased more than non-food sales, with like-for-like figures showing a 3.9% increase for food and a 0.5% increase for non-food. Figures for total food sales stood at 10.2%, while for non-food the total was 3.2%.
Last month's 2.2% like-for-like increase comes after the the worst figures since August 2000, with a 1.2% year-on-year decline in May. A combination of better weather than 12 months earlier and more clearance bargains resulted in people parting with more cash, said the consortium.
However, spokesman Richard Dodd warned that consumers remained cautious. He said the good weather and big discounts have led to increased sales of summer clothing and food, but it is no spending free-for-all.
"Fundamentally people are still unsure about jobs and their own personal finances," he said, adding that expensive non essential items remained missing from people's shopping lists.
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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