Holiday retail sales registered an 8.5 percent increase over the past year, according to a Mastercard report published on Dec. 26, as the economy continues to struggle with the highest inflation rates in almost 40 years combined with product shortages.
Mastercard SpendingPulse measures sales numbers from Nov. 1 through Dec. 24 and includes in-store and online retail sales. Auto sales aren’t part of the survey, which includes all forms of payments, such as cash and check.
