Ewan MacDonald-Russell

The guest speaker was Ewan MacDonald-Russell, son of Rotarian and club President-Elect, Alan MacDonald. A graduate of St Andrews University, Ewan is Head of Policy and External Affairs for the Scottish Retail Consortium, leading on policy, on food and drink issues, collaborating with stakeholders, members and colleagues for development relevant to Scottish matters. In his work he is involved with all the biggest retailers. His talk followed three main points: how retail was transformed in the past; its present state during this cost of living crisis; its future which will include fewer shops. Ewan explained that over 258 thousand Scots work in the retail industry. The Smartphone has changed almost everything in the industry since now the consumer has immediate access to information eg relative prices that it never had before, and retail has had to adapt to a changing market with many more online outlets and fewer High Street premises. This change required new and greater customer service provision along with ever more efficient supply chains. Ewan gave the example of Debenhams which was reliant on big premises with high heating costs and high rents, needing lots of sales staff - typical of the decline in big shops which are now unlikely to return. Covid caused huge volatility in retail prices and some businesses did not survive. Currently, the financial situation is complex -high prices have been caused by the Ukraine invasion, food prices are especially high, and everything is further complicated by increases in the cost of fuel. What will happen next? Because consumers have less money they will prioritise convenience and cost, using multi-channels ie online and local, shops in the High Street will need compelling reasons to stay there, competition will be fierce. There will be winners and losers and not all will survive. What will help the situation: economic growth, consumer spending, business cost being cut, greater stability