Media Center

Consumers are expected to spend record amounts for both back-to-school and back-to-college shopping this year, according to the annual survey by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. Back-to-school spending is expected to reach an unparalleled $41.5 billion, up from $36.9 billion last year and the previous high of $37.1 billion in 2021. Back-to-college spending is expected to hit $94 billion, about $20 billion more than last year’s record.

EuroCommerce and the National Retail Federation welcomed the announcement by the European Commission regarding the adoption of the adequacy decision for the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework.

Import cargo volume at the nation’s major container ports is expected to climb toward an August peak this summer, according to the Global Port Tracker report released by NRF and Hackett Associates. But even though a tentative contract agreement has been reached at West Coast ports, retailers are closely following labor disputes at ports in Canada and a potential Teamsters strike against UPS.

The U.S. economy did better in the first half of 2023 than early indicators suggested and appears to be “rolling forward” even as the rate of growth slows for the remainder of the year, NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said.

The National Retail Federation released its annual list of the Top 100 Retailers, compiled by Kantar, a global marketing data, insight and consultancy company. The 2023 Top 100 Retailers ranks the industry’s largest companies according to domestic sales.

Retail sales rose again in May as consumers continued to spend despite economic challenges, NRF said.

The National Retail Federation issued the following statement from President and CEO Matthew Shay following the announcement that a tentative agreement has been reached between the International Longshore and Warehouse Union and the Pacific Maritime Association. The parties have been in negotiations since the labor contract initially expired in July 2022.

The NRF Foundation announced four new additions to its Board of Directors. The new members were elected during the organization’s summer board meeting in New York City.  

The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Senior Vice President of Government Relations David French after the Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023 was introduced in the U.S. House.

The National Retail Federation has provided the following statement regarding store safety.