By the Numbers: Retail jobs and the Canadian economy

Toronto – June 23, 2013

• Retail salesperson/clerk is the most common occupation in Canada.

• In 2010, the Canadian retail industry represented total consumer sales of $443.2 billion.

• Cashier is the second most common occupation for Canadian women.

• The Canadian service sector employs 75 percent of all Canadians, and accounts for 78 percent of Canada’s total GDP.

• 1 in 8 Canadian workers is employed in retail/wholesale – about 2.7 million people.

• Across industrialized countries, retail workers constitute about 10% of the labour force.

• Wage earners of all ages work in retail. There is a relatively high proportion of young workers, yet 4 in 10 retail workers in Canada is over the age of 45.

• 2/3 of all workers in retail are women.

• Currently about 13% of retail workers in Canada and about 5% in the United States are unionized.

Research complements of www.revolutionizingretail.org