Media Center

Playing it safe and planning ahead, Americans this year are planning to stash away their tax refund into savings. According to NRF’s Tax Returns Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, 47 percent of those expecting a refund plan to put their money into savings, the highest percent in the survey’s history. Nearly two-thirds (65.7%) of those surveyed are expecting a refund this year.

According to the National Retail Federation’s Valentine’s Day Consumer Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics, the average person celebrating Valentine’s Day will spend $142.31 on candy, flowers, apparel and more, up from $133.91 last year. Total spending is expected to reach $18.9 billion, a survey high.

NRF joined with other business organizations today in filing an amicus brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit in the Nestle Dreyer case.

Having taken the world by storm this year, Disney’s Frozen and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle characters will again come to life this Halloween. According to NRF’s 2014 Halloween Consumer Top Costumes Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, an estimated 2.6 million children plan to dress up as one of Disney’s Frozen characters, while about 1.8 million children will dress as one of the re-imagined classic characters from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

More costumes than ever will be flying off the shelves as Americans gear up to celebrate the spookiest holiday of the year, according to NRF’s Halloween Consumer Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. More than two-thirds (67.4%) of celebrants will buy Halloween costumes for the holiday, the most in the survey’s 11-year history.

The National Retail Federation told the U.S. Supreme Court that the debate over debit card swipe fees is “of staggering importance” and asked the justices to review a ruling that left the Federal Reserve’s cap on the billions of transactions conducted each year at 21 cents rather than reducing it to a lower level.

Electronics and school supplies drive increased back-to-school/college spending this year. Millennials plan to spend $913 million of their own money on school items.

The National Retail Federation and the Retail Industry Leaders Association asked an appeals court to overturn a federal judge’s approval of a controversial lawsuit settlement over Visa and MasterCard’s credit card swipe fees, saying it was negotiated by only a handful of merchants and would do nothing to bring the fees under control.

According to NRF’s 2014 Father’s Day Spending Survey conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics, the average person will spend $113.80 on neckties, tools, electronics and other special gifts for dad, slightly down from $119.84 last year. Total spending for the holiday is expected to reach $12.5 billion.

After splurging on tablets and smartphones, beauty supplies, apparel and jewelry for mom last year, consumers this year will celebrate Mother’s Day keeping practicality in mind.