Facts & figures
One company out of four in Europe is active in the retail and wholesale sector. Retail and wholesale is one of the main job providers in the EU. Our sector thrives on fierce competition, keeping prices low and boosting innovation in the supply chain.
Have a look at our latest key facts & infographics 4-pager about the retail and wholesale sector (Published in 2019).
See below for some key data, or have a look at our study, "Retail & Wholesale: Key sectors for the European economy".
Key figures for trade
(NACE G)
| Number of entrerprises | 5.4 m |
| Turnover in EUR | 8.73 tn |
| Number of persons employed | 29.4 m |
| Value added in EUR | 1.2 tn |
| Share of enterprises' turnover on e-commerce | 16% |
Source: Eurostat 2016
| Micro (<10 employees) | 5046 | 93.4% |
| Small | 309 | 5.7% |
| Medium | 39 | 0.7% |
| Large | 7 | 0.1% |
| Total | 5401 | 100.0% |
Source: Eurostat 2016
Retail
(NACE G 47)
Retail is probably the most visible sub-sector. The word retail comes from the old French word "tailler" which means "to cut off, clip, pare, divide". It refers to the sale of goods or services from companies to individual end-consumers. Retailers usually buy their products in larger quantities from manufacturers or wholesalers and sell them in smaller quantities to their customers.
Retail trading takes place in many different locations: from small corner shops to supermarkets or large department stores or shopping centres, on markets, at consumers’ homes through direct or distant selling via mail order or, now increasingly, on the internet.
| Number of enterprises | 3.63 m |
| Turnover in EUR | 2.769 tn |
| Number of persons employed | 19,3 m |
| Value added in EUR | 519 bn |
| Turnover per employee | 142.473 EUR/employee |
| Personnel costs | 17.644 EUR/employee |
Source: Eurostat 2016
Wholesale
(NACE G 46)
Wholesale, the sale of merchandise to retailers or other professional businesses, is a major player in the economy, though still unknown to many. It plays a pivotal role as interface between producers, importers, manufacturers, retail and catering, ensuring the supply of goods along the entire value chain.
Wholesalers’ activities centre on the procurement and distribution of raw materials, finished products and goods of all kinds (consumer goods, capital goods, construction materials). For some products, for example foodstuffs or flowers, wholesalers and their customers come together at specific wholesale markets. Many wholesalers provide integrated B2B services on national and international markets, as well as attractive financing solutions, thus providing additional support to their customers.
| Number of enterprises | 1.8 m |
| Turnover in EUR | 5.970 tn |
| Number of persons employed | 10.6 m |
| Value added in EUR | 660 bn |
| Turnover per employee | 563.222 EUR/employee |
| Personnel costs | 34.644 EUR/employee |
Source: Eurostat 2016
Further information
Study: Retail & Wholesale: Key sectors for the European economy