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As retailers head into the second half of 2021, the “great uncertainty” that clouded the nation’s economic outlook earlier in the year has transformed into evidence of an unprecedented recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz says.

Retail professionals say the pandemic accelerated new technology-related product launches at their company, according to the new report, “Using Retail Tech Innovation to Enhance the Customer Experience".

Leaders from two key retail service providers were named members of the NRF Foundation Board of Directors during its virtual meeting on June 17.

The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from President and CEO Matthew Shay in response to the announcement that Congressional negotiators and the White House agreed to an infrastructure framework.

Retail sales remained at elevated levels in May despite month-to-month fluctuations that masked near-record performance.

The National Retail Federation today delivered a letter to the White House asking to meet with President Biden and other top administration officials regarding the challenges retailers are facing from continued supply chain disruptions that are leading to congestion at U.S. ports.

Executives from four of the nation’s most prominent brands were named members of the NRF Board of Directors as the board held its first in-person meeting since the beginning of the pandemic.

The National Retail Federation issued its revised annual forecast for 2021, anticipating that retail sales will now grow to more than $4.44 trillion this year as the economy accelerates its pace of recovery.

Imports at the nation’s largest retail container ports saw their busiest April on record and May could turn out to have set a new all-time record as vaccines allowed consumers to return to normal shopping patterns, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report from NRF and Hackett Associates.

NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz supports a recommendation that federal agencies should create a “satellite account” to better assess the performance of the retail industry, saying traditional statistical measurements do not accurately reflect the industry’s contribution to the economy amid the increase in online shopping and other changes.