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Publication - Research and analysis

Rural Scotland Business Panel Survey February 2023

Published
17 February 2023
From
Director-General Net Zero
Directorate
Environment and Forestry Directorate
ISBN
9781805255185

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

View supporting documents Supporting documents

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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