Employees in retail trade

Retail trade is dominated by employment in food and beverage stores

• Since 1991, about one in four retail employees were in food and beverage stores. Over 80% of these employees were in grocery stores, while the remainder were in specialty food stores or in beer, wine and liquor stores. In 2003, the number of workers in food and beverage stores increased 5.2% from the previous year, bringing employment to 419,000. This continues the upward trend that began in 1992, bringing the total increase since that time to 123,000 employees.
• General merchandise stores continue to have the second largest number of workers within retail trade. In 2003, an increase of 1.1% brought employment to 209,000. However, the employment level was down 17% since 1991.
• Clothing and clothing accessories stores had 184,000 retail trade employees in 2003, the third largest number. The 2.6% increase from 2002 was the fourth consecutive annual increase in employment.

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