This outperformed the UK average decline of 1.3%.

Shopping centre footfall in Scotland also fared better, decreasing by only 1.2% in March, 0.1 percentage points better than the previous month. Regionally, Edinburgh saw a 2.9% increase in footfall, while Glasgow recorded a 1.8% decline.

David Lonsdale, director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, attributed the improved performance to the early Easter and school holidays, which “buoyed foot-traffic, providing a flicker of hope for Scottish stores as Spring approaches”. He noted that the growth in real wages and easing shop price inflation should support consumer demand, though retailers must still contend with rising operating costs.

Sensormatic Solutions’ retail consultant Andy Sumpter echoed this sentiment, stating that the “early, high-performing Easter” and seasonal events like Mother’s Day helped drive up shopper traffic in March. However, he cautioned that the “choppy nature of footfall recovery” indicates that consumer confidence is yet to fully rebound.