Scotland's retailers see sales slide

Political landscapes are never good for retail sales, and so Scotland saw a 2.9 percent drop in its retail sales in September, the month

of the referendum.

It was the country's sharpest decline in sales since records began in 1999, according to a survey by the Scottish Retail Consortium.

Strong engagement with last month’s independence referendum, unseasonably warm weather, and supermarket price wars were cited as key factors.

The dip came despite Scotland hosting the golfing The Ryder Cup at Gleneagles last month, which is a major draw for media and tourism.

Non-food sales, which includes fashion, last month were down 3.3 percent year-on-year.

David McCorquodale, head of the SRC survey, said: “A nation gripped by politics and blessed with unseasonably warm weather shunned the high street in September.

“The shadow cast by the September sunshine also affected fashion and footwear retailers looking to move autumn collections.”