BICS weighted Scotland estimates: data to wave 93

Prices

The BICS asks businesses that have not permanently stopped trading (i.e. ‘Currently Trading’ or ‘Paused Trading’) about how the prices of materials, goods and services bought and sold compare with the previous calendar month. Note that in Wave 93 businesses were asked about prices in the month of September 2023. Prior to Wave 55, these questions asked how prices compare to normal price fluctuations.

Figure 2: In Wave 93, 28.2% of businesses reported that the prices of materials, goods or services bought in September 2023 had increased from the previous calendar month. Over the same period, 10.4% of businesses reported that they had increased the price of goods or services sold.

Estimated share of businesses experiencing increased prices. Businesses currently trading - with 10+ employees and a presence in Scotland. Applicable waves 18 to 93.

Source: BICS Weighted Scotland Estimates - Wave 93 from the Scottish Government. For Figure 2 data see tables ‘PricesBoughtChange’ and ‘PricesSoldChange’.

Of currently trading businesses, 28.2% reported an increase in the prices of materials, goods or services bought in September 2023 compared with August 2023; a higher share than the previous month (20.7%).

In the latest period, the industry sector with the highest proportion of businesses reporting increases in the prices of materials, goods and services bought was Accommodation & Food Services (42.7% – up from 39.6% in the previous month).

Of currently trading businesses, 10.4% reported an increase in the prices of materials, goods or services sold in September 2023 compared with August 2023; a similar share to the previous month (10.9%).

In the latest period, the industry sectors with the highest proportion of businesses reporting increases in the prices of materials, goods and services sold was Accommodation & Food Services (17.4%) and Wholesale, Retail & Repair of Vehicles (17.3%).

In Wave 93, businesses not permanently stopped trading were asked in which ways their business had been affected by any price rises they had experienced.

Figure 3: An estimated 70.3% of businesses had been affected by general price increases in some way; the top three impacts reported by businesses were having to absorb costs (56.5%), passing on price increases to customers (26.3%) and having to change suppliers (14.0%).

Estimated share of businesses by impact of recent price rises. Businesses not permanently stopped trading - with 10+ employees and a presence in Scotland. Wave 93 – 2 October to 15 October 2023.

Source: BICS Weighted Scotland Estimates - Wave 93 from the Scottish Government. For Figure 3 data see table ‘PriceRisesAffected’.

Businesses were also asked if they had been affected by recent increases in energy prices. In the period 2 October to 15 October 2023, 41.6% of applicable businesses reported that they had been affected by the recent increase in energy prices in some way (suppliers and/or production were affected).

In Wave 93, businesses were asked what their expectations were for the prices of goods or services sold in November 2023, and the factors causing the businesses to consider raising prices.

An estimated 13.4% of businesses were expecting to increase prices in November 2023, a decrease from the previous month (15.6%) and the lowest level in the series which goes back to April 2022. The top three factors reported by businesses for these expected price increases were labour costs (32.4%), energy prices (31.0%) and raw material prices (17.1%).