U.S. retail chains saw a notable acceleration in sales growth, according to the latest Redbook Index update released on 12 May 2026. Year-over-year sales rose 9.6%, up from a 7.8% increase in the previous reading, pointing to strengthening consumer activity at major retailers across the country.
The Redbook Index measures same-store sales at large U.S. general merchandise retailers and compares performance to the same period a year earlier. The current figure reflects a faster pace of annual growth than the prior month’s reading, where the comparison was also made against the same month a year ago.
The pickup from 7.8% to 9.6% suggests that U.S. consumers have been spending more robustly than they did at this time last year, potentially signaling momentum in discretionary and essential retail categories alike. While the index does not detail specific segments, the stronger year-over-year reading underscores improving conditions for large retail chains in the current environment.
