Bad weather and weakening consumer confidence could be behind poor sales for Scottish retailers, according to new figures.

In July the total income from sales rose by 4.9% compared to the same period last year.

The figures, from the Scottish Retail Sales Monitor, show that the rise is less than the 6.6% increase reported for June.

The report also revealed a similar pattern in like-for-like sales, which are achieved through activities of companies which were operating in the same period last year.

Some retail sectors performed better than others

The rise in such sales in June was 2.1%, compared to 4% in the previous month.

Patrick Browne, who was involved with the report, said retailers had blamed wet weather for weakening sales.

He said: "July's sales figures suggest a weakening of consumer confidence with sales performance returning to the weaker trading which retailers saw in April and May.

"July's increases are still relatively healthy given the previous pattern of Scottish retail sales, but the poor weather is still a dominant factor impacting on sales performance."

He added that sellers had responded to the drop with more aggressive promotions and sales than was usual for the time of year.

Alcohol sales

The gap between sales in Scotland and the rest of the UK also widened, with average sales across the UK increasing by 6.3% in July.

Amongst the various sectors, sales of alcohol were positive, although tourists did not spend the normally high amounts on malt whisky.

Promotions helped drive sales in footwear and books, health and beauty products continued to sell well but department stores were reported to have suffered because customers were holding back on buying summer clothing.

The study was based on responses from a sample of retailers across Scotland, with the results analysed by experts at the University of Edinburgh and accountants KPMG.