U.S. Retail Sales Expect to Increase 3.4 Percent in 2012

Retail sales in the U.S. are expected to increase 3.4 percent to $2.53 trillion in 2012, slower than in 2011 when sales rose 4.7 percent, according to the National Retail Federation.

“Stubbornly high unemployment and continued uncertainty over the prospects for job growth will continue to dampen the outlook for industry retail sales growth in 2012, though the retail industry will still grow at a rate faster than many other industries,” an NRF representative tells Women’s Wear Daily.

Holiday sales in 2011 sales rose 4.1 percent over 2010, reports WWD.