New data has revealed that Scotland’s retail sector experienced stronger growth than the rest of the UK last year, in spite of lingering economic concerns.
Official figures published this week showed the value of retail sales in Scotland rose by 3.4 per cent in 2011, 0.1 per cent more than the wider UK. Sales value was up 0.8 per cent in the final quarter of 2011, with volume improving by 0.7 per cent.
Scottish finance secretary John Swinney hailed the statistics as vindication of the Holyrood government’s efforts to boost the retail sector north of the border, claiming that Scotland offered a more generous relief package for retailers than any other part of Britain.
“The Scottish sector is outperforming Great Britain according to the annual statistics, and this underlines the importance of the measures we are taking to enhance economic and consumer confidence in the face of difficult trading conditions,” he said.
The Scottish government recently came under fire from industry groups including the Scottish Retail Consortium over plans to introduce a so-called “supermarket tax”, a new levy targeting large retailers selling alcohol and tobacco.
