Publication - Statistics
Businesses in Scotland: 2025
Information on the number of businesses operating in Scotland.
Key Points
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as at March 2025, the number of private sector businesses operating in Scotland was estimated at 384,280, with the number of private sector registered businesses at 175,035
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over the latest year, the number of registered businesses increased by 950 (+0.5%) – this is the second year in a row to show an increase in the registered business stock since 2020
- between 2024 and 2025, there was an increase in the number of small sized businesses, and an increase in the number of abroad-owned businesses operating in Scotland
- as at March 2025, there was an estimated 381,855 Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) operating in Scotland, providing an estimated 1.2 million jobs (56.2% of private sector employment)
Contact
For enquiries about this publication please contact:
Marina Curran
Business & Innovation Statistics
Office of the Chief Economic Adviser
e-mail: industrystatistics@gov.scot
For general enquiries about Scottish Government statistics please contact:
Office of the Chief Statistician
e-mail: statistics.enquiries@gov.scot