France hourly wage index for labourers: wholesale and retail
France hourly wage index for labourers: wholesale and retail stood at 122.9 in Q2 2026, according to INSEE – Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques (BDM). It is one of the indicators in the Wages and labour cost table (Value · Quarterly), with a complete series running from Q2 2017 to Q2 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Wages and labour cost table
| Indicator | Q2-2026 | Q1-2026 | Q4-2025 | Q3-2025 | Q2-2025 | Q1-2025 | Q4-2024 | Q3-2024 | Q2-2024 | Q1-2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wages | |||||||||||
| Hourly wage rate indice for labourers - Wholesale and retail trade (NAF rev. 2, level A38 GZ) - Base 100 in Q2 of 2017 | 122.9 | 122.2 | 121.3 | 121 | 120.8 | 120.3 | 119.1 | 118.6 | 118.2 | 117.5 | |
| Hourly wage rate indice for labourers - Construction - NAF rev. 2 FZ of level A17) - Base 100 in Q2 of 2017 | 122.4 | 121.7 | 120.6 | 120.4 | 120.1 | 119.7 | 118.6 | 118.1 | 117.8 | 117.2 |
Understanding france hourly wage index for labourers: wholesale and retail
Shop floor handlers, inventory sorters, stockroom packers, and distribution centre operatives engaged in merchandise distribution form the workforce subset tracked by this compensation index. Diverging from manufacturing or construction measures, this series isolates the hourly earnings of physical labourers across mercantile trading networks, encompassing both physical storefront logistics and large-scale cargo intermediaries. The metric tracks pure wage adjustments per hour worked, excluding overtime bonuses and irregular premiums.
Evaluating the series necessitates watching for retail sales cycles and holiday hiring surges that temporarily alter workforce composition and average hourly costs. Revisions frequently occur between preliminary and final publications as complete employer declarations replace initial imputations. Analysts reviewing performance over time should prioritize year-on-year comparisons to smooth out predictable shifts in retail staffing demand. Contrasting this index with general economic wage measures highlights whether trade sector compensation outpaces or lags national norms.
Frequently asked questions
- Does this index cover corporate office staff in mercantile firms?
- No, it is strictly restricted to labourers and operational staff involved in trade activities.
- Why is year-on-year comparison preferred over quarter-on-quarter evaluation?
- Annual comparisons remove the strong seasonal hiring patterns associated with holiday shopping periods.
- What components are excluded from the hourly calculation?
- Bonuses, profit-sharing schemes, and non-wage employer contributions are omitted to focus purely on base hourly rates.