UK job vacancies: wholesale and retail trade
UK job vacancies: wholesale and retail trade stood at 91 thousands in Jul 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Labour market table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from May 2001 to Jul 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Labour market table
| Indicator | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | 10-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Job vacancies by industry | |||||||||||
| G Wholesale and retail trade | 91 | 87 | 88 | 87 | 87 | 90 | 88 | 91 | 92 | 95 | |
| H Transport and storage | 35 | 35 | 33 | 34 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 34 | 34 | 32 |
Understanding UK job vacancies: wholesale and retail trade
Unfilled employment positions specifically situated within distribution enterprises, retail stores, and commercial sales networks across the United Kingdom count the count of vacant jobs that companies actively advertise to recruit fresh workers. This specific industry partition isolates open roles tied to merchandise exchange, consumer goods distribution, and shop floor staffing from sibling sectoral measures covering administrative offices, factories, or professional practices. The count registers positions where employers seek external candidates through formal recruitment channels, excluding roles filled exclusively through internal promotion or informal redeployment.
Interpreting this series requires accounting for strong seasonal fluctuations driven by consumer shopping cycles, festive retail peaks, and high-frequency staff turnover typical of customer-facing establishments. Early estimates frequently undergo upward or downward statistical adjustments as businesses return late survey responses regarding their live recruitment campaigns. Analysts should evaluate twelve-month comparisons rather than consecutive monthly changes to bypass standard distributive hiring rhythms. Comparing these figures against claimant counts reveals imbalances between retail vacancies and the pool of unemployed jobseekers registered for benefits within the same commercial sector.
Frequently asked questions
- What types of businesses are included in this vacancy series?
- This series covers commercial enterprises engaged in wholesale distribution, motor vehicle maintenance, retail store operations, and direct consumer sales across the United Kingdom.
- Why do these retail job openings fluctuate throughout the calendar year?
- Recruitment volumes swing heavily in response to consumer demand surges around holiday shopping periods, summer trading peaks, and varying staff retention rates.
- How does this sector differ from hospitality or transport vacancy measures?
- It strictly tracks merchandise commerce and retail store operations, leaving out hotels, restaurants, warehousing, and logistics roles housed in separate industrial categories.