Sales for independent, mainly urban retailers grew 9.8 percent over the same period a year ago, reports NRSInsights in a summary of sales data and analytics drawn from retail transactions processed through its National Retail Solutions point-of-sale platform. In addition, NRSInsights said full-year sales for such retailers in 2022 were up 8.2 percent from a year earlier.

“Across our data, there was little to suggest that consumer demand or inflationary momentum has cooled, although the rate of price increases remains below the headline consumer price index inflation rate,” said Suzy Silliman, SVP, Data Strategy and Sales at NRS.

Sales growth both year-over-year and sequentially was led by holiday entertaining and party categories. Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, mixers, salty and sweet snacks and baking categories generated robust increases whether gauged by dollars, baskets or units sold, Silliman said. Sales of prepared cocktails surged, but their expansion did not come at the expense of spirits, seltzer, beer, wine, or other beverage categories, all of which continued to increase from year-ago levels, she said.

As of Dec. 31, the NRS retail network providing such data comprised approximately 22,000 terminals scanning purchases at independent retailers including bodegas, convenience stores, liquor stores, grocers, and tobacco and sundries sellers nationwide, mainly serving urban consumers. Over the past 12 months, NRS’ POS terminals processed $13.3 billion in sales through roughly 953 million transactions.

Click here for the full report from NRSInsights.