U.S. retailers on Friday reported record holiday sales numbers despite grappling with surging COVID-19 cases, rising prices, supply chain issues and worker shortages, The Hill reported. Retail sales totaled roughly $887 billion in November and December, a record figure that represents a 14.1 percent increase over 2020, according to an analysis from the National Retail Federation (NRF). NRF credited the strong sales to consumers’ increased wages and high personal savings. Clothing stores saw the largest increase in sales, up 33.1 percent, while sales at sporting goods stores and general merchandise stores increased by 20.9 percent and 15.2 percent, respectively. The figures, which are based on U.S. Census Bureau data, exclude car dealers, gas stations and restaurants, which were among the businesses hardest hit by the omicron surge in December. While overall holiday sales exceeded expectations, the Commerce Department said Friday that retail sales fell by 1.9 percent from November to December after analysts predicted that sales would remain flat.
