Grocery Jobs Dip in June Amid Overall Growth
While employment was up in June across the overall retail industry, grocery is among the sectors where job numbers were down.
Grocery and beverage stores were down 8,600 jobs last month, according to the Labor Department.
Most losses were concentrated in general merchandise stores, which were down 21,500 jobs, along with electronics and appliances stores, down 3,700.
That comes amid a June boost of 50,200 retail jobs unadjusted over the same time last year, despite a seasonally adjusted drop from May of 25,800, the National Retail Federation noted. Overall, U.S. businesses added 213,000 jobs over May, the Labor Department said. The numbers exclude automobile dealers, gasoline stations and restaurants.
"This is another solid, robust payroll increase that nicely closes out the second quarter and affirms a very strong economy,” NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said. “It is consistent with how consumers feel about the economy and their personal finances. Nonetheless, while payroll gains should translate into increased spending in the coming months, if the trade war spreads it may become a turning point for consumer and business confidence that could affect spending.”
June saw monthly gains in clothing and clothing accessory stores, which were up by 6,900 jobs; non-store, which includes online, was up 1,700 jobs.
June’s monthly drop followed a revised monthly gain of 23,600 jobs in May, but Kleinhenz said the beginning of the volatile summer hiring season often brings large swings. Coupled with downward revisions to April and May figures, the three-month moving average in June showed a loss of 1,300 jobs.
Economy-wide, average hourly earnings in June were up 5 cents over May and 72 cents from a year ago, a year-over-year increase of 2.7 percent. The Labor Department said the unemployment rate was 4 percent, up from 3.8 percent in May.
Kleinhenz noted that retail job numbers reported by the Labor Department do not provide an accurate picture of the industry because they count only employees who work in stores while excluding retail workers in other parts of the business such as corporate headquarters, distribution centers, call centers and innovation labs.
Washington, D.C.-based NRF represents discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries.