Retail sales in Scotland have stagnated in June due to the prolonged wet weather, according to data released by the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC).
Total sales were up by 1.2% when compared June 2011, a month of flat sales growth.
On a like-for-like basis, sales did not show any growth compared to June 2011, a month that witnessed negative 1.8% growth.
Food sales grew above their year-ago level on a like-for-like basis, but once food inflation is taken in to consideration volumes are likely to have fallen.
An exceptionally wet June across Britain has damaged the sales of seasonal products.
Sales of clothing and footwear were sluggish in June 2012 on account of the the mild and wet weather.
Big-ticket purchases continued to struggle and were often promotion-led, amidst continued consumer caution.
Like-for-like and total retail sales were weaker compared to corresponding figures for all of UK – and this was the fifteenth month in a row that UK’s combined sales figures have exceeded those in Scotland.
SRC economist Richard Lim said consumers remained cautious about their personal finances and lower temperatures have cooled demand for summer fashions and outdoor leisure goods.
"With shops full of seasonal stock, retailers are hoping a possible Indian summer delivers some salvation," Lim added.
"There was a boost in the run up to the Jubilee celebrations as shoppers bought in party foods for the long weekend but it wasn’t on the same scale as seen in our UK-wide statistics."
KPMG Scotland retail head David McCorquodale said, "a number of factors are combining to make times particularly challenging for retailers and the vast majority are now resorting to heavy and sustained promotional campaigns, which impact negatively on margins, just to tread water."
