Following a strong 2025, the Scottish retail market remains buoyant, with good-quality convenience stores attracting strong offers for both leasehold and freehold opportunities, according to property expert Christie & Co.
Demand is particularly high for high-volume petrol filling stations, with quality sites drawing multiple bids despite upcoming ICE [Internal Combustion Engine] regulations, the firm reported in its H1 2026 Scottish newsletter.
Despite the positive property market outlook for convenience, Christie noted that trading businesses in Scotland in 2026 were operating in a particularly challenging environment shaped by persistent cost pressures, weaker consumer demand, and ongoing economic uncertainty. “One of the most significant issues is the sustained rise in operating costs,” said the firm. “Energy prices, although no longer at peak crisis levels, remain structurally high. Consumer confidence has been low, and households continue to limit discretionary spending due to wider cost-of-living pressures. This is particularly problematic for retail, wholesale, and hospitality businesses.”
The company also highlighted staffing challenges and workforce constraints, stating that recruitment and retention costs had risen significantly, and that skills shortages persist across multiple sectors.
Another major issue is the continued increase in fixed costs such as business rates, identified Christie, with the recent property revaluations in Scotland leading to significant increases in rateable values for many retail premises.
