Rural Scotland Business Panel Survey February 2023

This report presents findings from the fourth Rural Scotland Business Panel Survey carried out in October and November 2022.


Appendix A – Additional variation

Table A.1 – Substantial cost increases by performance

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Performance
Performed well Been steady Struggled
Electricity and gas 49 51 60*
Other utilities 25 27 37*
Raw materials 51 52 62*
Transportation of goods 40 41 50*
Equipment purchase or repair 31 28 43*
Mortgage or rent 6 7 11*
Staff wages 12 8 11
Recruitment 4 3 5
Cost of servicing debts 5 5 15*
Business rates and insurance 17 14 24*
Base 956 1092 668

Table A.2 – Substantial cost increases by ability to plan ahead

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Planning ahead
No more than monthly No more than 3 months No more than 6 months No more than 12 months Beyond 12 months
Electricity and gas 59* 52 54 42 47
Other utilities 38* 27 23 25 22
Raw materials 63* 57 48 47 45
Transportation of goods 51* 47 39 30 37
Equipment purchase or repair 40* 31 27 29 32
Mortgage or rent 10* 8 7 4 5
Staff wages 12 9 11 7 10
Recruitment 4 5 3 4 4
Cost of servicing debts 11* 8 4 7 5
Business rates and insurance 25* 18 13 12 13
Base 719 612 584 418 287

Table A.3 – Impacts of cost increases by performance

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Performance
Performed well Been steady Struggled
Reduced profit margins 58 73 84*
Delayed or postponed growth plans 32 41 63*
Loss or reduction in customer demand 23 37 52*
Unable to set our prices for the coming year 33 37 66*
Less competitive 18 26 40*
Pressure on staff costs 23 24 35*
Unable to utilise the goods or services we used to 18 22 34*
Unable to maintain access to current markets 11 11 28*
Missed or delayed payment of bills 8 9 22*
Missed or delayed loan repayments 1 1 8*
Other 11 10 17*
None/ no impact 17* 11 4
Don’t know 1 * 1
Base 956 1092 668

Table A.4 – Impacts of cost increases by ability to plan ahead

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Planning ahead
No more than monthly No more than 3 months No more than 6 months No more than 12 months Beyond 12 months
Reduced profit margins 79* 72 73 59 58
Delayed or postponed growth plans 52* 49* 44 31 29
Loss or reduction in customer demand 50* 46* 36 25 25
Unable to set our prices for the coming year 52* 44* 38 25 24
Less competitive 36* 28 23 18 17
Pressure on staff costs 29 30* 27 20 21
Unable to utilise the goods or services we used to 31* 25 19 16 18
Unable to maintain access to current markets 22* 14 13 9 11
Missed or delayed payment of bills 18* 14 11 6 5
Missed or delayed loan repayments 6* 3 2 1 1
Other 11 11 12 13 11
None/ no impact 7 8 11 19* 20*
Don’t know * * 1 1 1
Base 719 612 584 418 287

Table A.5 – Impacts of cost increases by markets

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Importer Exporter
Reduced profit margins 73* 70
Delayed or postponed growth plans 47* 43
Loss or reduction in customer demand 41* 38
Unable to set our prices for the coming year 43* 37
Less competitive 29* 26
Pressure on staff costs 28* 27
Unable to utilise the goods or services we used to 26* 22
Unable to maintain access to current markets 16* 16
Missed or delayed payment of bills 13* 12
Missed or delayed loan repayments 3 3
Other 12 13
None/ no impact 9 12
Don’t know 1 1
Base 2,151 1,495

Table A.6 – Plans disrupted by performance

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Performance
Performed well Been steady Struggled
Invest in technology 28 34 48*
Increase staff wages or benefits 28 32 43*
Make energy efficiency improvements 28 32 42*
Develop new products or services 21 26 42*
Deliver new capital projects 22 26 39*
Recruit new staff 17 24 34*
Upgrade or move premises 17 18 31*
Staff training and development 16 17 30*
Other 4 6 8*
None 37* 25 14
Don’t know * * *
Base 956 1092 668

Table A.7 – Plans disrupted by ability to plan ahead

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Planning ahead
No more than monthly No more than 3 months No more than 6 months No more than 12 months Beyond 12 months
Invest in technology 39* 37 37 29 28
Increase staff wages or benefits 43* 36 32 20 24
Make energy efficiency improvements 40* 33 33 26 27
Develop new products or services 35* 31 26 24 18
Deliver new capital projects 30 29 27 27 27
Recruit new staff 33* 25 24 15 12
Upgrade or move premises 26* 21 21 14 19
Staff training and development 28* 23 17 10 12
Other 5 6 7 5 5
None 19 22 26 35* 36*
Don’t know * * 1 - *
Base 719 612 584 418 287

Table A.8 – Plans disrupted by markets

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Importer Exporter
Invest in technology 37* 39*
Increase staff wages or benefits 35* 34
Make energy efficiency improvements 35* 33
Develop new products or services 31* 31*
Deliver new capital projects 31 30*
Recruit new staff 25 24
Upgrade or move premises 22 22
Staff training and development 21* 19
Other 6 5
None 23 26
Don’t know * *
Base 2151 1495

Table A.9 – Actions in response to cost increases by markets

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Importer Exporter
Absorbing costs 75* 73
Increasing prices 70* 66
Making energy efficiency improvements 57* 55*
Using cash reserves 47* 48*
Sourcing alternative materials, goods or services 48* 43
Investing in the business 44* 46*
Adapting our products or services 40 40*
Collaborating 27* 30*
Reducing our operations or opening hours 21 18
Sharing premises or resources 13 13
Closing for the winter 6 7
Making staff redundant 6 5
Other 3 4
None 3 4
Don’t know * *
Base 2151 1495

Table A.10 – Financial concerns by performance

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Performance
Performed well Been steady Struggled
Unpredictable costs 68 74 84*
Low profit margins or losses 45 60 83*
Low or no cash reserves 20 31 61*
Increased interest rates on loans and debt 22 25 38*
Restricted access to finance 14 19 38*
Repayment of COVID-19 recovery loans 9 16 26*
Repayment of other debt 7 11 27*
None of these 22* 14 5
Don’t know 1 1 *
Base 956 1092 668

Table A.11 – Financial concerns by ability to plan ahead

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Planning ahead
No more than monthly No more than 3 months No more than 6 months No more than 12 months Beyond 12 months
Unpredictable costs 82* 73 74 69 67
Low profit margins or losses 69* 65* 60 50 47
Low or no cash reserves 47* 39* 33 24 17
Increased interest rates on loans and debt 30 29 28 25 22
Restricted access to finance 29* 22 20 15 16
Repayment of COVID-19 recovery loans 22* 21* 16 10 5
Repayment of other debt 18* 14 12 9 10
None of these 9 12 15 20* 24*
Don’t know 1 1 * - *
Base 719 612 584 418 287

Table A.12 – Financial concerns by markets

(Figures marked with * are higher than the average)

Importer Exporter
Unpredictable costs 78* 74
Low profit margins or losses 63* 61
Low or no cash reserves 36 35
Increased interest rates on loans and debt 30* 30*
Restricted access to finance 23* 22
Repayment of COVID-19 recovery loans 17* 17
Repayment of other debt 15* 15
None of these 12 15
Don’t know 1 1
Base 2,151 1,495

Contact

Email: socialresearch@gov.scot

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