Consumer

The deposit return scheme (DRS) could be paused by Humza Yousaf. Picture: PA

Humza Yousaf considering pausing deposit return scheme

AAB Wealth: with the potential for punitive charges if you’ve saved above the taxable level now gone, planning for your pension has suddenly become a lot less complex

Ad Feature AAB’s Richard Johnston asks: do the pension tax changes work for you?

First Minister Humza Yousaf. Picture: PA

Yousaf confirms extra money to help with rising energy bills

Brewgooder: How beer-drinkers can save lives across the globe

Gross value added (GVA) is expected to increase by 1.6 per cent over the course of 2024, helped by a 2.3 per cent increase in consumer spending, as employment and real wages recover.

Scottish economy to return to growth in 2024 as consumer spending rebounds

Stuart and Adelle Brown have got the green light to build a new whisky distillery in Orkney , the first for nearly 140 years. Picture: Stewart Attwood

Gold rush: Why Scotch whisky distilleries are popping up all over the country

Environmentalists and outdoors groups, including Ramblers Scotland, have raised concerns over plans to build an 18-hole golf course at Coul Links, warning that important natural features and wildlife could be lost or damaged and access to the spectacular area will be restricted to avoid interference with play

‘Fake’ locals used to promote US billionaire's Highland golf resort plan

Timberyard in Edinburgh. The Michelin Guide says: The Scandic-influenced menu offers ‘bites’, ‘small’ and ‘large’ sizes, with some home-smoked ingredients and an emphasis on distinct, punchy flavours

Two Edinburgh restaurants win first Michelin Stars

AG Barr chief executive Roger White: 'We are now in an investment phase.' Picture: Stewart Attwood

Irn-Bru maker AG Barr enjoys double-digit sales growth and signals end of era

Restaurant Andrew Fairlie

What it’s like winning a Michelin star: Top Scottish chefs discuss the guide

Left to right: Malcolm Steel, Graeme McInally, Catherine Bell, Graeme Brown

Ad Feature Successful MBO promises new era for Edinburgh-based Mearns & Company

The Scottish Parliament building. Picture: Getty Images

Strategy recommends 3.5% pay increase for public sector workers

Food inflation has hit its highest level in 45 years.

Inflation creep: The price shock facing consumers, businesses and BoE

UK inflation shot up unexpectedly last month as vegetable shortages pushed food prices to their highest rate in more than 45 years, according to official figures. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty Images)

What does high inflation mean? This is what happens when inflation rises

Jeavon Lolay, head of economics and market insight at Lloyds Bank Corporate & Institutional Banking, said February’s data underlined the economy’s 'relative robustness'.

Number of business sectors in growth mode hits ten-month high

Dozens of oil and gas platforms in UK waters are set to be brought to a standstill as around 1,400 offshore workers across five companies go on strike to demand a better deal on jobs, pay and conditions - the move comes after energy giants posted record profits

North Sea workers plan ‘tsunami’ of strikes amid oil and gas profits boom

Archbishop Leo Cushley

Parishioners question leading Catholic cleric over multimillion pound funds

SNP say rising energy bills show Scotland 'paying price for Westminster failure'

Pro-independence campaigners from the All Under One Banner group demonstrate outside BBC Scotland's headquarters last November. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Analysis: Will the BBC’s impartiality crisis cost it dearly in Scotland?

COS Edinburgh Pic Mark Cocksedge

COS fashion chain opens in St James Quarter

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has announced the UK Government’s budget in the House of Commons - but what does it mean for the average Scot? Pic: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Here's what the Budget means for Scottish households

John Lewis has department stores in Edinburgh and Glasgow, above, having closed its Aberdeen store. Further cost cutting is now on the cards across the business. Picture: John Devlin

John Lewis: Bonus blow and huge cost-cutting as retail icon slumps to £78m loss

Vertical farming, originally developed by Nasa scientists as a potential way to grow food for astronauts in space, involves rearing crops indoors in upright stacked layers, with the environment strictly controlled to optimise plant growth

Salad days: How farming tech invented by Nasa could solve food problems

The Chancellor announced big changes on how much money can be put into pension pots tax free.

Budget 2023: Major changes to pension pots 'tremendous news for economy'

Best home energy efficient lighting: eco-friendly low-cost bulbs

Best home energy efficient lighting: eco-friendly low-cost bulbs

Gourock's outdoor pool is one of the most popular in Scotland

Plea for Scottish Government to help fund swimming pools and follow Hunt's lead

MoneySavingExpert’s Martin Lewis has joined calls for the Government to urgently consider halting plans to raise energy bills in April, saying any decision cannot wait until the spring Budget.

What is the Energy Price Guarantee? How does it differ from the price cap?

The Scottish Retail Consortium said total sales grew by 0.6 per cent in February, compared with the same month last year and once prices had been adjusted for inflation.

Scots retail sales rise for fourth month as grocery inflation hits 24-year high

Alcopop bottles Pic: Julianpictures Adobe

Alcopops are out of the ONS basket, but we haven't bought one since the Nineties

Mortons Rolls ceased trading earlier this month.

Over 200 Morton's Rolls staff made redundant after bakery ceased trading

Surgeons Quarter managing director Scott Mitchell: 'The performance showcases that we are an ambitious and forward-looking organisation.' Picture: Ian Georgeson Photography

Edinburgh hospitality firm sees sales surpass pre-Covid peak but profits hit

Offshore Energies UK has used the example of Irish dependency on imports piped from Scotland to warn that banning new oil and gas licencing in UK waters could leave the nation at the mercy of other countries for supplies and could be 'irreversible'

North Sea drilling ban could be ‘irreversible’ and leave UK dependent on imports

The Toblerone bar packaging is changing

Why Toblerone is changing: Matterhorn logo to be dropped from packaging

Vegetable aisle in a supermarket Pic: WavebreakMediaMicro - stock.adobe

Vegetable shortage in UK supermarkets - Gaby Soutar

Whisky firms on why alcohol consultation could make or break the industry

Mairi Spowage, director of the Fraser of Allander Institute: 'Scottish firms have had to weather a number of storms over the past 25 years, and their resilience is once again being tested.'

Scottish firms tested by 'cost-of-doing-business crisis' as exports falter

Circular economy minister Lorna Slater. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA

Slater confirms Sturgeon letter to PM and has 'confidence' in DRS launch

Tourism and hospitality businesses in visitor hotspots such as Edinburgh's Old Town have faced soaring bills and cost-of-living spending pressures.

Demand for 'immediate' action as Scottish tourism operators crippled by costs

Broadband disruptor targets 'overpaying consumers' with £1m growth push

Scotland is due to launch a cash-back collection scheme for single-use drinks containers made from PET plastic, metal and glass in August. The new deposit return system (DRS), which is intended to improve recycling rates and cut the amount of litter in the environment, will be the first in the UK

11 things that change under Scotland’s new deposit return system

The deposit return scheme is causing concern among business.

No ban for producers who fail to sign up to DRS, says Yousaf

Scotland's deposit return scheme is scheduled to go live in August, but the intiaitive has been beset by controversy. Picture: Jonathan Pow

Scottish ministers could face legal action if deposit return scheme blocked

SNP leadership candidate Kate Forbes during a visit to the Cairngorm Brewery in Aviemore, part of her Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch constituency. Picture: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Forbes says deposit return scheme will cause 'economic carnage' for businesses

The average household energy bill is expected to rise despite Ofgem cutting its price cap. Picture: PA

Ofgem lowers energy price cap - but average household bills expected to rise

Animal welfare groups and politicians have written to the Scottish Government, calling for a moratorium on the expansion of salmon farming - which could be set to double

Tipping the scales: Call for halt to fish farming expansion

Leading law firm says the anticipated housing market crash hasn’t hit the Lothians yet

Ad Feature Edinburgh property market: no sign of ‘crash’ in city

Most critics don't disagree with the aim of the deposit return scheme for bottles and cans, but it needs to be workable. Picture: George Frey/Getty Images

Circularity Scotland announces £22 million support for drinks producers

KitKat maker Nestle is among a number pf international companies still operating in Russia. Picture: AFP via Getty Images

International firms operating in Russia ‘complicit in human rights abuses’

Long queues often form hours before specialist vinyl dealers - like Monorail Music in Glasgow - open on Record Store Day.

Everything you need to know about Record Store Day 2023 in Scotland

This week has seen figures released for retail sales on both sides of the Border.

Surprise jump in UK retail sales in January but general trend 'one of decline'

The scale of poverty and health inequalities is not inevitable (Picture: Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Child poverty is getting worse, but it doesn't have to be like this

Shoppers have been juggling with steep price hikes on many food and household items for months now.

Analysis: Government faces momentous challenge halving inflation by end of year

Fuel poverty is a particular problem for people without access to the mains gas supply (Picture: PA)

Kenny MacAskill: Fuel poverty is a particular problem for those not on mains gas

Supermarket shoppers will have noticed many everyday items increasing in price several times over the past year.

Inflation: 'Fight far from over' as inflation falls but remains in double digits

Shoppers hit the high street last month leading to a modest rise in sales but the outlook for consumer spending remains stormy.

Shoppers take advantage of January sales but retail recovery 'deeply fragile'

Just two landlords were struck off Scotland's landlord registry in 2022.

Number of Scottish landlords struck-off from registry plummets to just two

A smart meter next to an energy bill. Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

What is the energy price guarantee and what will happen to bills in April?

For the 1.5 million Scots currently in serious financial difficulty, this winter is an uphill struggle.

Picture: Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images)

Scots' financial well-being is worse than those in rest of UK – Mubin Haq

Following MUP in May 2018, it is feared some small retailers will not survive the latest proposals being considered.

Proposed alcohol crackdowns described as 'blunt instrument' amid new report

Mackie's traditional, strawberry swirl and honeycomb ice creams.

Mackie’s of Scotland: Record ice cream market share but soaring costs hit hard

Most critics don't disagree with the aim of the deposit return scheme for bottles and cans, but it needs to be workable. Picture: George Frey/Getty Images

Lawyer claims deposit return scheme could create unlawful trade barrier

Middle-income households will face a hit to their personal disposable income ranging from 7 per cent to 13 per cent, according to the report. Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto.

Cost-of-living crisis: quarter of UK homes will struggle to pay bills in 2023/24

The Scotsman Top Stories

Police and security staff escort a protester from the public gallery during First Minister's Questions. Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

Holyrood bosses announce crackdown after protesters disrupt FMQs

The deposit return scheme (DRS) could be paused by Humza Yousaf. Picture: PA

Humza Yousaf considering pausing deposit return scheme

New First Minister Humza Yousaf. Picture: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire

Analysis: Pity the poor schoolkids forced to stay and watch this FMQs