NRF Consumer Research

NRF conducts consumer research throughout the year, staying on the pulse of the industry and behaviors of consumers as a whole. In addition, NRF gathers member-submitted research from within our network to provide a closer look at the future of retail as well as industry-wide research.

State of Retail & the Consumer

March 29, 2023
Free virtual event

NRF’s State of Retail & the Consumer will explore the health of the American consumer and retail industry with leaders including NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay, NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz, Ph.D., retail CEOs from major brands, prominent economists and consumer experts.

Register now

Holiday and seasonal trends

Since 2003, NRF has partnered with Prosper Insights & Analytics to gauge consumers’ spending intentions and celebration plans for American holidays — from Valentine’s Day to Christmas — and milestone events like Graduation and Back to School.

Learn more

Millennials

Millennials — those born between 1981 and 1994 — shop differently than other generations of consumers.

Dive deeper

Generation Z

Gen Z — those born between 1995 and present — how retailers adapt to their preferences.

Winning over the Aspirational Independent

We’ve all heard of Soccer Moms, a key swing voter segment in the 1996 presidential election with a clear sense of identity. Now it’s time to switch our attention to Aspirational Independents.

Read the study

Consumers want it all

Consumers have been through the wringer — but they’re resilient. They’ve found creative ways to adapt to extreme circumstances, using technology to navigate uncertainty in new ways. And now they expect brands to do the same.

Explore the study