Retail Gets Real · 2026-05-19 · 18 min
Retail sales remain strong, consumers are still spending and yet economic anxiety continues to dominate headlines. NRF Chief Economist Mark Mathews joins Retail Gets Real to unpack the contradictions shaping today’s economy, from record-low consumer sentiment to resilient retail performance. (00:00:00) Why consumers keep spending despite economic anxiety (00:05:17) Why family spending stays strong during economic pressure (00:07:03) What the K-shaped economy actually means (00:09:15) How retailers are adapting to a new generation of consumers (00:11:11) Why retail remains one of the most misunderstood industries (00:15:23) What makes a great economist The National Retail Federation is the world’s largest retail trade association. Every day, we passionately stand up for the people, policies and ideas that help retail succeed.
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