The Retail ecosystem includes:
- Retail sales
- Wholesale connected to consumers
Find out more about the LSP(s) in this ecosystem and their commitments below:
Challenges
During the COVID-19 crisis, wholesalers and non-food retailers in many countries suffered due to repeated and extended lockdowns. Now, high energy prices and inflation mean the economic outlook of the sector remains uncertain.
The COVID-19 crisis accelerated the trend towards digitalisation and online sales, and this had a significant impact on employment in retail. Retailers and wholesalers now face increased competitive pressure to deliver omnichannel operations (selling to customers through physical stores, online, mobile, etc.), meaning their employees must be able to deal with technology, while also providing a top-quality service based on expert advice and customer care. As customers increasingly prioritise sustainability in their purchases, basic sustainability skills are also becoming more important for retail and wholesale staff.
Size of the labour market
There are 16 million employees in retail and 10 million employees in wholesale in the EU.
PfS commitments
Under the Skills Partnership, EU-level social partners in retail and wholesale will form the core of a broad network. This network will work together on a solid foundation of mutual trust, mutual interest in creating a learning culture, and awareness of the contribution that the retail and wholesale sector can make to a fair and competitive Europe.
The Skills Partnership will support the creation of synergies among different stakeholders in the sector, facilitating collaboration and helping to develop common initiatives at all levels. It will build on existing experiences (including national frameworks for education and training, which are often the result of longstanding cooperation between national associations of retailers and wholesalers, trade unions, and education and training providers), as well as examples of best practices on up- and re-skilling of individual companies.
For further information please refer to:
- Partnership commitment
Retail Partnership Commitment