A majority of businesses do not have enough information to take a view on independence, a survey has found.
Almost 60% of firms said they do not know enough, while over 70% expect a Yes vote in 2014 will affect their business, according to Scottish Chambers of Commerce.
The organisation surveyed its members to gauge what information is needed by the business community before the referendum. The survey was undertaken throughout June, using a sample of more than 800 firms from across Scotland.
It found 58% of businesses say they do not know enough to take a view about the implications of Scottish independence, although 37% seem to have a view already.
Scottish Chambers of Commerce said information gaps include business and income taxes, the currency and Scotland’s status in the EU. Each of these factors was identified as a concern by more than 60% of responding businesses.
How the Scottish economy would be regulated after independence was also recognised as an information gap.
Chief executive Liz Cameron said: “This sends a clear message to those conducting the constitutional debate in Scotland that more information is needed on key business concerns to ensure that the choice made in 2014 is based on the best evidence available about the implications of the alternatives offered.
“Scottish Chambers of Commerce will be working hard between now and referendum day to make sure that members’ priorities are being addressed.
“This survey shows that the constitutional debate hasn’t yet engaged clearly enough with the priorities of the Scottish business community.
“Today, we call on those on both sides of the debate to examine their plans and to ask themselves what more they could be doing to make sure that the Scottish business community has the information it needs.”
A spokesman for the Better Together pro-union campaign group said: “Businesses in Scotland deserve honest answers from the SNP about the implications of separation.
“Whether it’s on currency, the EU or regulation, the nationalists have completely failed to offer any credible idea of what would happen if we go it alone. The reason for this is that, despite having 80 years to come up with some, the SNP don’t have any answers.
“Scottish businesses benefit from being part of the single UK market. We sell more to the rest of the UK than to the rest of the world combined. There is no sense in putting up a border with our biggest trading partner. It is clear that we are stronger and better together.”
A spokesman for Business for Scotland, the pro-independence network, said: “We are already providing a lot of information about the benefits of having full control of our own affairs, why Westminster isn’t working for Scotland and why Scotland has got what it takes to be a more prosperous as well as fairer country.
‘At the same time, we recognise that there is a lot of hard work to do over the coming months to provide answers to important questions that will help persuade people that the best choice for a better and fairer Scotland is to vote Yes next September.
“It is also important that businesses ask questions of the No campaign – what has Westminster to offer to boost growth in the Scottish economy, and tackle the key challenges we face?”