IAN McCONNELL
RETAIL sales grew faster in Scotland than in Great Britain as a whole in the second quarter, official figures have revealed.
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The Scottish Government said yesterday that retail sales volumes north of the Border had risen by 0.9% quarter-on-quarter in the three months to June. Over the same period, sales volumes in Great Britain as a whole increased by 0.7%.
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The value of retail sales in Scotland rose by 0.8% in the second quarter. The value of sales In Great Britain as a whole rose by 0.7% in the corresponding period.
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Euan Murray, relationship director in Barclays’ corporate banking division in Scotland, said: “Retailers have outperformed where we expected them to be this quarter. That’s not to say they haven’t faced their fair share of challenges but they have remained resilient. Uncertainty surrounding the March Brexit deadline may have actually improved results with retailers and wholesalers stockpiling items in anticipation of leaving the EU. In order to shift this surplus stock discounts may have attracted customers to part with their cash.”
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