US apparel and footwear trade associations have welcomed the US and China’s 90-day pause on heightened tariffs. Yet, while the temporary agreement has somewhat calmed the waters of the two regions’ trade war, organisations are still calling for a long-term deal that will mitigate rising costs and prices. This was reflected in a statement from...
May 13, 2025
Retail sales increased across the United States in April, as consumers stocked up on goods to avoid the impending higher prices set to come with tariffs, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, published by the National Retail Federation. “Spending rose again in April, driven largely by consumers continuing to pull purchases forward to stay...
May 8, 2025
Ahead of the Easter weekend, the National Retail Federation (NRF) has released its annual survey projecting consumer spending for the holiday period. Together with Prosper Insights, the organisation said consumers were planning to spend a total of 23.6 billion dollars on Easter this year, up from the 22.4 billion dollars spent in 2024. While...
Apr 14, 2025
The U.S. government's decision to impose sweeping new tariffs on apparel and footwear imports has triggered a wave of alarm from industry associations, who argue forcefully that these measures will inflict significant economic damage far outweighing any potential benefits. The industry's opposition The American Apparel & Footwear Association...
Apr 8, 2025
US retail sales are forecasted to grow between 2.7 percent to 3.7 percent in 2025, reaching 5.42 to 5.48 trillion dollars, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). This projection was shared earlier this week, during the NRF’s annual State of Retail & the Consumer event, and reflects economic momentum driven by low unemployment and...
Apr 4, 2025
After a busy holiday season, consumers in the US seemed to pull back their costs in January, despite spending being up on a yearly basis, reflecting a strengthened market overall. This is according to new figures collected in the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, which revealed that total retail sales across the US for January, excluding automobiles and...
Feb 11, 2025
The National Retail Federation (NRF), the US’ retail trade association, has said that it will welcome president Donald Trump’s review of tariffs but warns of consequences in relation to possible cost increases for consumers. Its comments come after Trump directed federal agencies to examine US trade policies on January 20, 2025, with a goal to...
Jan 24, 2025
A new report by the US’ National Retail Federation (NRF) has documented a concerning increase in shoplifting incidents in 2023 compared to that of pre-Covid levels. According to the organisation’s ‘The Impact of Retail Theft & Violence 2024’ study, there was a 93 percent increase in the average number of reported shoplifting incidents last year...
Dec 23, 2024
Retailers across the nation are calling for action to be taken against increasing credit card swipe fees, which are driving up costs for businesses and consumers. At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on November 19, the National Retail Federation (NRF) underlined the economic impact caused by these fees and pushed for the Credit Card...
Nov 26, 2024
Things seem to be looking up for the US retail sector, which bounced back “strongly” in October according to new figures released by the CNBC/National Retail Federation (NRF) Retail Monitor. According to the report, total retail sales were up 0.74 percent seasonally adjusted month-over-month, and up 4.13 percent unadjusted year-over-year in the...
Nov 15, 2024
The National Retail Federation (NRF) has named American fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger the recipient of its annual Visionary award. The founder of the eponymous brand will receive the award at the 10th annual NRF Foundation Honors on January 12, 2025, in New York City. “With four decades of building a brand that has seamlessly blended classic...
Sep 11, 2024
Fashion used to be a PEST - that is, influenced by Politics, Economics, Society and Tech. Speaking at this month’s NRF conference, WGSN’s VP Consumer Insights, Andrea Bell, delivered a forward-thinking overview of the industry entitled, “Global Forces Shaping the Retail Business Landscape” that elaborated on the acronym created by Harvard...
Jan 31, 2024