Mastercard SpendingPulse: January U.S. Retail Sales Up 7.2%*, Marking Solid Start to 2022

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Feb 10, 2022

2022 kicked off with gains across nearly all retail sectors, according to Mastercard+SpendingPulse%3Csup%3ETM%3C%2Fsup%3E, which measures in-store and online retail sales across all forms of payment. This January, U.S. retail sales excluding auto increased 7.2% year-over-year (YOY), with online sales growing 10.4% compared to January 2021. Despite the shadow of Omicron and elevated inflation, consumer spending was buoyed by pent-up savings, wage growth and the continued re-opening of the “experience economy.” Beneficiaries included Department Stores, Apparel and Luxury, which all saw double-digit growth.