Breakfast briefing: Retail news on Scottish sales and interest in India

Retail sales in Scotland fell 2.2% in August

Scottish retail sales dropped 2.2% in August in spite of the recovery in food sector, BBC News reported.

Food sales fell just 0.3%, while non-food sales slipped 3.7% year-on-year, according to the monthly sales monitor compiled by the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) and KPMG.

KPMG’s retail head David McCorquodale said food sales had been the "star performer" in a "disappointing month".

Clothing and footwear sales were "sluggish" last month, despite average weather and back-to-school purchases.

Groceries recorded their best three-month average performance in two years.

SRC director David Lonsdale said the retail performance was "uninspiring".

Indian minister says big UK retailers seeking local partnerships

India’s food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has revealed that several big British retailers including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Marks & Spencer and Waitrose are seeking local food retail partners in India, The Economic Times reported.

"Tesco wants to tie up with big giant retailer or someone who has been in the business," Badal said at a conference organised jointly by the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Ministry of Food Processing.

"Other players like Harrods, Simply Food and Marks & Spencer, who want to come in the niche, quality market, are looking at different sorts of players," she added.