Mother’s Day shopping gave retailers a sales boost in March, an industry body has said.
Figures from the Scottish Retail Consortium show that between March 1 and April 5, total sales in Scotland increased by 0.3% compared with March 2024, when they had risen 2.8%.
This was below the three-month average increase of 0.5% and above the 12-month average decrease of 0.8%, according to the SRC, which said that adjusted for inflation, there was a year-on-year increase of 0.7%.
Easter and Holy Week were in March last year but fall in April 2025, and SRC deputy head Ewan MacDonald-Russell described the new data as a “surprisingly strong performance” for March 2025.
Beauty products and gardening sales were particularly popular in Scotland last month, according to analysts.
Sales increased by 1.5% on a like-for-like basis compared with March 2024, when they had risen 2.1% – above the three-month average increase of 0.9% and above the 12-month average decrease of 0.4%, according to SRC data.
Total food sales in Scotland decreased by 1.5% compared with March 2024, when they had increased 5.1%. This was below the three-month average increase of 0.6% and below the 12-month average decrease of 0.3%, the SRC said.
Total non-food sales in Scotland increased by 1.7% compared with March 2024, when they had increased by 0.9% – above the three-month average increase of 0.5% and above the 12-month average decrease of 1.3%.
Adjusted for the effect of online sales, non-food sales in Scotland increased by 2.0% compared with March 2024, when they had increased by 0.1%. This was above the three-month average increase of 1.1% and above the 12-month average decrease of 1.0%.
Mr MacDonald-Russell said: “Scottish retail sales saw a small rise in March, a surprisingly strong performance considering Easter fell in the comparative month in 2024.
“The rise was lifted by a marked increase in non-food sales, which offset the predictable fall in food sales.
“Mother’s Day proved to be a boon for retailers with gifts and beauty products selling well.
“Computing and gaming sales continued to perform well, lifted by pre-orders of the new Nintendo Switch 2.
“These figures will hearten retailers who need good trading to counterbalance the turbulent economic news, and the significant public policy costs businesses are grappling with.
“With Easter still to come hopefully there will be more good news next month as well.”
Linda Ellett, UK head of consumer, retail and leisure at KPMG, said: “As spring arrived, house and garden related purchases and gifts for Mother’s Day drove non-food retail sales growth in Scotland in March.
“Amidst downbeat consumer confidence in the UK’s economic outlook, and many households facing rising costs, retail sales growth feels an achievement.
“But with non-food sales only climbing around half a per cent on average, competition means there are some retailers really struggling whilst others win, especially online.
“Scotland’s retailers will be pushing for higher growth rates as we move toward summer and holiday season, particularly as they are now paying higher wage costs and facing volatility and potential impact on their supply chains due to global tariffs.”
