Retail sales slump as Scots prioritise leisure over shopping

Hello and welcome to our daily digest of business, financial and economic news from around Scotland.

1. Early back-to-school purchases were not enough to stem the dip in Scottish sales during a “disappointing” July, according to the latest figures.

Retail experts said that Scots prioritised leisure activities, socialising and holidays last month rather than shopping.

Sales of larger items fared poorly and sales of TVs dipped following the end of the Euros, while purchases ahead of the start of the new school term later this month did not have enough impact to make a difference.

Total sales in Scotland decreased by 1.2 per cent year on year compared with July 2023, when they had grown 4.6 per cent, the Scottish Retail Consortium-KPMG Scottish Retail Sales