This Week in Retail: NRF Retail Law Summit and January sales

Today is ​​National Egg McMuffin Day, and McDonald’s is offering a free classic Egg McMuffin exclusively through its app. The app, which launched in 2020, has become an important facet of the fast-food chain’s business, generating nearly $40 billion in sales to 210 million 90-day active users across 70 markets.

Here’s what else is going on in retail this week:

In data releases: The US Census Bureau is still playing catch-up after the government shutdown put data releases on pause, so the retail sales numbers coming out this Friday are for the month of January. Some economists are expecting a slight decline in overall sales, with bad weather late in the month contributing to the pullback. In December, sales were flat month over month, and up 2.4% from the previous year.

In summits: The National Retail Federation is hosting its annual Retail Law Summit over the next three days. The virtual event will feature Ballard Spahr attorneys Stephanie A. Sheridan and Meegan Brooks, who will host a session on the “existential threats facing the retail industry,” including the “scariest litigation trends.” Other topics include “security and threats to retail data in 2026” and “the 2026–2027 regulatory landscape for retailers.”

In earnings: It’s a retail earnings bonanza this week, with big box, discounters, apparel chains, and grocers all on deck. Target, Ross Stores, and Best Buy are reporting on Tuesday; Bath & Body Works, Abercrombie & Fitch, and American Eagle Outfitters on Wednesday; and Costco, Kroger, and Burlington on Thursday.

In collaborations: Starting today, MAC Cosmetics will be available at Sephora US as part of parent company Estée Lauder’s push to expand into new distribution channels for its brands. When Estée Lauder President and CEO Stéphane de La Faverie announced this new strategy last year, he admitted the company had not moved fast enough to make its products available where consumers were shopping.