Here is the most recent Retail & Consumer job report as of Jun 4, 2025…

The U.S. private sector added a net total of 37,000 jobs in May 2025, reflecting the slowest hiring pace since March 2023. While several sectors reported growth, these gains were offset by declines in other segments, leading to a more modest overall gain. The data continues to show wage resilience, but hiring hesitancy appears to be growing in key sectors.

Industry-Specific Insights (Retail & Consumer Sectors)

Leisure and Hospitality

+38,000 net new jobs — This category includes food services, restaurants, bars, and hotels, which continue to rebound as consumer travel and dining activity remain strong. It was the leading contributor to job growth in May.

Trade, Transportation, and Utilities

−4,000 jobs — This broader segment includes grocery, general retail, and distribution/logistics. The decline suggests ongoing challenges in brick-and-mortar retail and some supply-side pressure in distribution roles. Grocery retail, in particular, continues to face high wage costs and margin compression, limiting headcount expansion.

Manufacturing (Consumer Packaged Goods)

−2,000 jobs (estimated from nondurable goods manufacturing decline) — CPG companies are typically embedded in nondurable goods manufacturing. Slower growth in packaged food, beverage, and personal care demand—paired with automation efforts—has resulted in flat to modest declines in headcount across the segment.

Job Creation by Business Size

• Mid-Sized Businesses (50–249 employees): +51,000 jobs These firms drove most of the gains, especially in hospitality and retail-adjacent services.
• Small Businesses (<50 employees): −13,000 jobs High inflation and borrowing costs continue to hinder hiring at smaller firms, especially independent grocers and food operators.
• Large Businesses (>500 employees): −3,000 jobs Large retailers and CPG manufacturers have adopted a more cautious stance on hiring, awaiting more favorable macro signals.

Wage Trends

• Job-Stayers: +4.5% YoY wage increase
• Job-Changers: +7.0% YoY wage increase Wage growth remains robust for job-switchers, particularly in hospitality, food service, and logistics roles where labor shortages persist.

Regional Employment Notes

• West Region: +37,000 jobs — Led U.S. job creation, especially in hospitality and retail hubs like California and Nevada.
• Northeast Region: −19,000 jobs — Pullback observed in professional services and healthcare; retail hiring was flat to negative.

Clarifying the Math: Net Growth Context

It’s worth noting that while the Leisure and Hospitality sector added 38,000 jobs, the overall net gain of 37,000 jobs reflects offsetting job losses in sectors such as Professional & Business Services (−17,000) and Education & Health Services (−13,000). The use of “net” is critical: some sectors are growing while others are contracting.

This article was initiated using AI technology provided by Apple and OpenAI.