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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.

The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Edward Egee, Vice President of Government Relations and Workforce Development, in response to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission releasing updated COVID-19 vaccination guidance.

U.S. consumers are expected to spend more than $20.1 billion on gifts and other items for Father’s Day this year, a record high,
according to the National Retail Federation’s annual survey conducted by Prosper Insight & Analytics. Total spending for the holiday will surpass last year’s record figure of $17 billion.

The National Retail Federation today joined eight other business organizations to release “Imports Work for American Workers,” an economic impact study which found that imports support more than 21 million American jobs.

Retailers are asking state governors and mayors to thoughtfully consider the practicality of state and local orders that track The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance announced last Thursday.

The National Retail Federation today issued a statement from Vice President of Workforce Development Edwin Egee in response to the House passage of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act.

Retail sales were virtually unchanged from their strong performance a month before and grew dramatically year-over-year in April as the rapidly recovering U.S. economy marked a full year since the coronavirus pandemic shut down most stores during the spring of 2020.

NRF welcomed an announcement by the Federal Reserve that it plans to clarify that banks must allow retailers to decide where to route online debit card transactions for processing the same as they do with in-store debit transactions.

Imports at retail container ports hit a new record this spring and volume during the first half of 2021 is expected to be a third higher than last year as the economy continues to recover from the pandemic, according to the monthly Global Port Tracker report from NRF and Hackett Associates.