Retail sales on the rise again in Scotland
Retail sales have risen in Scotland for the third consecutive quarter, according to official statistics.
Figures published for the Retail Sales Index Scotland (RSIS) indicate the quantity of retail sales – the amount of goods bought – grew by 1.2% in the first quarter of 2019, compared with the previous quarter at the end of last year (0.1%).
Over the same period, the UK as a whole had a 1.6% increase in retail sales, a rise on the 0.1% for the previous quarter.
📈 Official retail statistics also published today show that in the first quarter of 2019, the quantity of retail sales in Scotland grew by 1.2% compared to the previous quarter. pic.twitter.com/AMMjWBYIzk
— ScotGovEconomy (@scotgoveconomy) May 1, 2019
The value of retail sales, when not adjusted for inflation, grew by 1.1% during the first quarter of 2019.
Over the same period, the UK as a whole had a 1.6% increase.
Retail sales figures have a strong and predictable seasonal pattern, with rises expected in the fourth quarter over the Christmas period.
The Retail Sales Index statistics are estimated using a monthly survey of 5,000 businesses in the UK carried out by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
