Politicians must do their part to support Scotland's weary consumers |
If you’re anything like me, you probably start each new year with a mixture of optimism and trepidation. Optimism for the opportunities ahead, and trepidation for the growing list of challenges on the horizon. 2026 is no exception.
The prospects for Scotland’s retailers are bolstered by the growth in people’s wages continuing to outpace inflation. Falling interest rates should assist. The major sporting spectacles this summer could provide a boon to retailers, notably our qualification for football’s World Cup finals in June and Glasgow’s hosting of the Commonwealth Games in July.
The apprehension however comes as consumers continue to remain cautious about spending. Retail sales during the festive period failed to muster much cheer for Scotland’s shopkeepers as lingering concerns over the cost of living and the economy meant shoppers were fewer in number and those who did venture out took a parsimonious approach towards spending.
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When people did spend it was often in response to discounting around Black Friday and Boxing Day sales, showing how sensitive to price and........