Productivity And Costs: Wholesale Trade, Retail Trade, And — 2003-12-30

The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor reported today on labor productivity and unit labor cost changes for wholesale trade, retail trade, and food services and drinking places. For 2002, labor productivity--defined as output per hour--rose 5.8 percent for all of wholesale trade, 4.2 percent for retail trade, and 1.3 percent for food services and drinking places. In both the retail and wholesale trade sectors, output increased in 2002 while hours and unit labor costs declined. In food services and drinking places, output, hours, and unit labor costs all increased in 2002. Over the whole period for which data are presented, 1987 to 2002, labor productivity in the wholesale trade sector rose an average of 3.5 percent per year. Output increased 4.1 percent per year, hours increased 0.6 per year, and unit labor costs increased 0.7 percent per year.