National Retail Federation (NRF)

Two of the nation’s largest retail associations have come out against President Trump’s plans to order new tariffs on steel and aluminum.

It’s shaping up to be a big year for the big game.

The National Retail Federation is once again making the case for a new federal law on data breach notifications.   Citing the recent breach at the Equifax credit reporting agency, National Retail Federation and other industry associations are telling Congress that any new federal law on data breach notification should apply to all industries that handle consumer data.   

In May, United States Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer began the formal process for renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which establishes the rules of trade among Canada, Mexico and the United States. The retail sector has urged USTR to preserve NAFTA’s basic structure, while advocating changes that could help retailers begin sourcing more items from NAFTA countries rather than Asia. As explained below, the outcome of NAFTA renegotiation also will signal the future direction of U.S. trade law and policy.  

The way has been cleared for retailers to challenge swipe fees in the coming years.    The Supreme Court on Monday declined to reinstate a class-action lawsuit settlement that would have blocked merchants from challenging Visa and MasterCard over credit card swipe fees.    

The Food Marketing Institute and National Retail Federation will combine their existing risk and safety signature events into one cross-industry event starting in 2018.   The two groups will sponsor Protect in 2018, according to an announcement made Wednesday at the FMI’s Audit, Safety, Asset Protection Conference in Orlando.   

Average spending per person over Thanksgiving weekend totaled $289.19, down from $299.60 last year, according to a survey conducted by National Retail Federation.  

The results of yesterday's elections will affect a number of issues facing retailers, including infrastructure, tax reform, trade, immigration, labor and health care.       Craig Shearman, National Retail Federation (which does not endorse presidential candidates) looks at how President-elect Donald Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress could impact the industry.  

If it seems like more if your inventory is disappearing, you’re probably not imagining things.   According to the 2016 National Retail Federation (NRF) Retail Security Study, conducted in collaboration with the University of Florida, retailers’ inventory shrink averaged 1.38% of retail sales, or $45.2 billion in 2015, up by 3% from $44 billion the previous year.  

A strong report on Friday from the Labor Department shows that retail employment was up 51,100 jobs in February on the heels of a gain of 52,100 in January.

Compared with February 2015, retail jobs were up by 247,300. The numbers exclude gasoline stations, automobiles and restaurants.