At a time of strong seasonal demand, Randstad Research published this Thursday, 27th, a diagnosis of employment in retail trade in Portugal, which highlights the economic relevance of the sector and its post-pandemic recovery.
Vehicle Trade and Repair, which encompasses retail, wholesale trade and vehicle repair, represented 14.8% of total employment in 2024 — around 767.2 thousand jobs. The retail component (direct sales to consumers) is the dominant one, corresponding to 62.4% of employment in the sector and totaling 479.8 thousand professionals in the second quarter of 2025, according to Eurostat data, with quarterly growth of 0.4%.
The report recalls that retail suffered a sharp drop in 2020 (-6.8% employment) but recovered from 2021. In 2023 the sector had 123,900 companies responsible for almost 480 thousand jobs. Among the activities, non-specialized establishments — hypermarkets, supermarkets and department stores — are the largest employers, with 161.6 thousand workers.
The composition of employment shows a strong female presence (60.5%) and a predominance of qualified and semi-qualified professionals (67.3%), while unskilled roles represent only 5.1% of the total. Retail also presents a marked seasonality, with peaks in hiring in winter — especially on Black Friday and Christmas — and minimums in summer.
In terms of wages, the sector is experiencing sustained growth: the average monthly salary rose from 1,028 euros in June 2015 to 1,539 euros in June 2025, an increase of 50% in ten years, highlighting the maturity and economic importance of retail in distributing goods and stimulating domestic consumption.
Regarding the demand for professionals, Randstad Portugal points out an increase in demand during the peak season (Black Friday, Christmas and promotional periods).
According to Pedro Empis, Director of Operational Talent Solutions at Randstad Portugal, “retail managed to regain its dynamism and once again assert itself as one of the great drivers of employment in Portugal”.
Currently, “it employs almost half a million people, supported by a majority female base and made up of increasingly qualified professionals, which reflects not only the social importance of the sector, but also its structural evolution”, highlights Pedro Empis.
Randstad also points out that the demand for talent increased this year, with particularly notable reinforcements in retail, the food industry and logistics, recording increases in temporary hiring of between 10% and 30% compared to 2024.