For release 10:00 a.m. (EDT) Thursday, July 19, 2018 USDL-18-1181

Technical Information: (202) 691-5606 • productivity@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/lpc

Media Contact: (202) 691-5902 • PressOffice@bls.gov

PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS BY INDUSTRY: WHOLESALE TRADE, 

RETAIL TRADE, AND FOOD SERVICES AND DRINKING PLACES INDUSTRIES – 2017

Labor productivity rose 2.7 percent in wholesale trade and 2.8 percent in retail trade, and declined by

2.2 percent in food services and drinking places in 2017, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 

today. Unit labor costs, which reflect the total labor costs required to produce a unit of output, rose in 

food services and drinking places and fell in wholesale trade and retail trade. 

For wholesale trade in 2017, productivity, output, and hours worked all increased at a faster rate than in 

2016. In retail trade, the growth in output continued to outpace the growth in hours worked in 2017 but 

led to a smaller productivity increase than in 2016. Productivity in food services and drinking places 

declined in 2017 due to hours worked increasing at a faster rate than output. In 2016, productivity 

increased in this industry group as a result of output growing at a faster rate than hours worked. 

Chart 1. Productivity change in the largest (by employment) 4-digit wholesale trade, retail trade, and 

food services and drinking places industries, 2017 

4.5

2.3

4.1

0.1

-1.9

-0.3

-1.7

-2.2

-2.3

-3.2

-9.2

-0.1 Restaurants and other 

eating places

Grocery stores

Other general 

merchandise stores

Automobile dealers

Department stores

Building material and 

supplies dealers

Health and personal 

care stores

Clothing stores

Gasoline stations

Electronic markets 

and agents and 

brokers

Special food services

Grocery and related 

product wholesalers

-6

-3

0

3

6

9

-6 -3 0 3 6 9

Hours Worked Percent Change

Note: Bubble size represents industry employment. 

Value in the bubble indicates percent change in 

labor productivity.

Output Percent Change
Chart 1 shows the changes in output and hours worked for industries with the largest employment. 

Industries above the diagonal line experienced growth in productivity. Among these industries, three

reported growth in both output and hours worked. Department stores showed declines in both output and 

hours worked. Productivity growth was greatest in automobile dealers, where output growth surpassed 5 

percent for the eighth consecutive year. 

Industries below the diagonal line exhibited declining productivity. Hours worked increased in all eight 

of these industries while output declined or grew at a slower rate. This includes the largest industry, 

restaurants and other eating places, which has experienced growth in both output and hours worked for 7 

consecutive years. In all but 2 of these years, the growth in hours worked exceeded the growth in output 

leading to productivity declines. 

Labor Productivity Rose in Majority of Industries in 2017 

Productivity increased in 12 of the 16 3-digit NAICS industries studied in 2017. Seven industries had 

productivity gains of at least 4.0 percent, including nonstore retailers which also had the largest increase 

in output (10.6 percent). Among the three industries with productivity declines, gasoline stations 

experienced the largest drop (-3.2 percent). (See chart 2). 

Chart 2. Productivity change in 3-digit wholesale trade, retail trade, and food services and drinking places 

industries, 2017

-3.2

-2.2

-2.2

0.0

0.1

0.2

0.2

1.1

1.2

4.8

5.1

5.3

6.0

6.1

9.0

9.7

-12 -8 -4 0 4 8 12

Gasoline stations

Health and personal care stores

Food services and drinking places

Clothing and clothing accessories stores

Electronic markets and agents and brokers

Food and beverage stores

General merchandise stores

Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods

Sports, hobby, music instrument, book stores

Motor vehicle and parts dealers

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods

Building material and garden supply stores

Miscellaneous store retailers

Nonstore retailers

Electronics and appliance stores

Furniture and home furnishings stores

Percent Change

Productivity

-12 -8 -4 0 4 8 12

Percent Change

Output

Hours

2
Productivity increased in 32 of the 49 4-digit NAICS industries studied in 2017. Output grew in 34 

industries while hours worked grew in 31 industries. (See table 1). 

In wholesale trade, productivity rose 2.7 percent as output grew 3.7 percent and hours worked increased 

0.9 percent. 

• Productivity grew 5.1 percent in durable goods wholesalers and 1.1 percent in nondurable goods 

wholesalers. 

• Productivity increased in 13 of the 19 4-digit wholesale trade industries while output rose in 15 

industries and hours worked grew in 13. 

• Productivity increased most rapidly in motor vehicles and parts due to rapid growth in output and 

a slight increase in hours worked. 

In retail trade, productivity increased by 2.8 percent, driven by growth in both output (3.9 percent) and 

hours worked (1.0 percent). 

• Productivity increased in 18 of the 27 4-digit retail trade industries while output grew in 17 

industries and hours worked rose in 15. 

• The largest productivity increases occurred in other motor vehicle dealers and in home 

furnishings stores as output rose and hours worked declined in both industries. 

• Other motor vehicle dealers experienced the largest growth in output (17.2 percent) resulting in a 

17.3 percent increase in productivity. 

In food services and drinking places, productivity declined by 2.2 percent as growth in hours worked 

(2.7 percent) outpaced growth in output (0.5 percent). 

• Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) was the only industry out of the three to experience 

productivity growth (6.5 percent). 

• All three 4-digit industries had increases in hours worked while special food services was the 

only industry to have a decline in output. 

Unit Labor Costs Decline in About Half of the Industries in 2017 

When productivity gains outpace hourly compensation, unit labor costs decline. 

• Unit labor costs fell in 8 out of 16 3-digit industries in 2017. All unit labor cost declines occurred 

in industries where productivity rose. (See chart 3).

• Unit labor costs declined in 8 of 19 wholesale trade and 14 of 27 retail trade 4-digit industries. 

Two of the food services and drinking places industries experienced an increase in unit labor 

costs.

• Hourly compensation, defined as labor compensation per hour worked, rose in 42 of the 49 

4-digit industries. 

3
Chart 3. Unit labor costs, productivity, and hourly compensation in 3-digit wholesale trade, retail trade, 

and food services and drinking places industries, 2017 

Long-term Productivity Slowdown Reflected in All Three Industry Groups

From 1987 to 2017, labor productivity increased at an average annual rate of 2.8 percent in wholesale 

trade, 2.9 percent in retail trade, and 0.4 percent in food services and drinking places. 

• Among the 4-digit industries, productivity rose in all but two industries from 1987 to 2017.

Median productivity among these industries grew at an average annual rate of 1.8 percent.

• Of the 47 4-digit industries with increasing productivity growth, 43 experienced rising output

while 23 had an increase in hours worked.

• All three industry groups experienced a slowdown in productivity growth from 2007 to 2017.

(See chart 4). Productivity increased in 45 out of 49 4-digit industries from 1987 to 2007

compared to 33 industries from 2007 to 2017.

7.3

5.7

3.0

1.8

1.8

1.5

0.5

0.0

-0.9

-1.2

-1.7

-3.0

-3.2

-4.1

-4.3

-4.7

-6 -3 0 3 6 9 12

Gasoline stations

Food services and drinking places

Health and personal care stores

Clothing and clothing accessories stores

Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods

Nonstore retailers

Food and beverage stores

Sports, hobby, music instrument, book stores

Miscellaneous store retailers

General merchandise stores

Electronic markets and agents and brokers

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods

Motor vehicle and parts dealers

Building material and garden supply stores

Furniture and home furnishings stores

Electronics and appliance stores

Percent Change

Unit Labor Costs Productivity Hourly Compensation

4
From 1987 to 2017, unit labor costs increased at an average annual rate of 3.2 percent in food services 

and drinking places, the greatest change among the three industry groups. Unit labor costs increased by 

0.9 percent in wholesale trade and were unchanged in retail trade.

• Among the 4-digit industries, unit labor costs fell in 14 out of 49 industries from 1987 to 2017.

Unit labor costs declined in 2 out of 19 wholesale trade and in 12 out of 27 retail trade industries

and increased in all food services and drinking places industries.

• From 2007 to 2017, unit labor costs declined in 15 out of 49 industries. All industries with

declines in unit labor costs experienced increases in productivity.

• During the 1987 to 2007 and 2007 to 2017 periods, electronics and appliance stores had the

largest unit labor cost declines and the largest productivity gains among the 3-digit industries.

Chart 4. Long-term changes in productivity and unit labor costs for wholesale trade, retail trade, and food 

services and drinking places industry groups

80

140

200

260

1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 2012 2017

Index 

(1987=100)

Wholesale Trade Retail Trade

Food Services and 

Drinking Places

2.8

3.7

1.1

2.9

3.3

2.0

0.4 0.7

-0.2

-1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

1987-2017 1987-2007 2007-2017

Average Annual 

Percent Change

Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Food Services and Drinking Places

80

140

200

260

1987 1992 1997 2002 2007 2012 2017

Index 

(1987=100)

Wholesale Trade

Retail Trade

Food Services and 

Drinking Places

0.9 0.7

1.2

0.0 0.0 0.0

3.2 3.2 3.1

-1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

1987-2017 1987-2007 2007-2017

Average Annual 

Percent Change

Wholesale Trade Retail Trade Food Services and Drinking Places

Labor Productivity

Unit Labor Costs

5
Additional Information

The trade and food services and drinking places measures in this release incorporate benchmark data 

from the Census Bureau’s Service Annual Survey (November 2017), Annual Wholesale Trade Report 

(March 2018), Monthly Wholesale Trade Survey (May 2018), Annual Retail Trade Survey (March 

2018), Annual Revision of the Monthly Retail and Food Services: Sales and Inventories (May 2018), 

and Nonemployer Statistics (June 2018). Data have been benchmarked to the final results of the 2012 

Economic Census. Accordingly, the labor productivity and output series for all industries have been 

revised for 2016 and earlier years. Additionally, the unit labor cost measures incorporate preliminary 

data from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (June 2018). 

Want to know more?

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• Additional industries and sectors

• Detailed data series: indexes of productivity and related measures; rates of change; and levels of

industry employment, hours worked, nominal value of production, and labor compensation

• Additional years and long-term data

More information from the BLS productivity program is available at www.bls.gov/lpc 

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Additional information can be obtained by calling the BLS productivity program at (202) 691-5606 

or by sending an email to productivity@bls.gov. Information in this release will be made available 

to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 

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6
Technical Note

Labor Productivity: Labor productivity describes the relationship between real output and the labor 

hours involved in its production. These measures show the changes from period to period in the amount 

of goods and services produced per hour worked. Although the labor productivity measures relate output 

in an industry to hours worked of all persons in that industry, they do not measure the specific 

contribution of labor to growth in output. Rather, they reflect the joint effects of many influences, 

including: changes in technology; capital investment; utilization of capacity, energy, and materials; the 

use of purchased services inputs, including contract employment services; the organization of 

production; the characteristics and effort of the workforce; and managerial skill. 

Unit Labor Costs: Unit labor costs represent the cost of labor required to produce one unit of output. 

The unit labor cost indexes are computed by dividing an index of nominal industry labor compensation 

by an index of real industry output. Unit labor costs also describe the relationship between compensation 

per hour worked (hourly compensation) and real output per hour worked (labor productivity). When 

hourly compensation growth outpaces productivity, unit labor costs increase. Alternatively, when 

productivity growth exceeds hourly compensation, unit labor costs decrease. 

Output: Industry output is measured as an annual-weighted index of the changes in the various products 

(in real terms) provided for sale outside the industry. Real industry output for data in this release is 

derived by deflating nominal sales or values of production using price indexes. Industry output measures 

are constructed primarily using data from the economic censuses and annual surveys of the U.S. Census 

Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce, together with information on price changes from BLS. 

Labor Hours: Labor hours are measured as annual hours worked by all employed persons in an 

industry. Data on industry employment and hours come primarily from the BLS Current Employment 

Statistics (CES) survey and Current Population Survey (CPS). CES data on the number of total and 

production worker jobs held by wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments are supplemented 

with CPS data on self-employed and unpaid family workers to estimate industry employment. Hours 

worked estimates are derived using CES and CPS employment, CES data on the average weekly hours 

paid of production workers, CPS data on hours of nonproduction, self-employed, and unpaid family 

workers, and ratios of hours worked to hours paid based on data from the National Compensation 

Survey (NCS). For some industries, employment and hours data are supplemented or further 

disaggregated using data from the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), the 

Census Bureau, or other sources. Hours worked are estimated separately for different types of workers 

and then are directly aggregated; no adjustments for labor composition are made.

Labor Compensation: Labor compensation, defined as payroll plus supplemental payments, is a 

measure of the cost to the employer of securing the services of labor. Payroll includes salaries, wages, 

commissions, dismissal pay, bonuses, vacation and sick leave pay, and compensation in kind. 

Supplemental payments include both legally required expenditures and payments for voluntary 

programs. The legally required portion consists primarily of federal old age and survivors’ insurance, 

unemployment compensation, and workers’ compensation. Payments for voluntary programs include all 

programs not specifically required by legislation, such as the employer portion of private health 

insurance and pension plans. Industry compensation measures are constructed primarily using data from 

the BLS QCEW and the economic censuses of the Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce.

7
Table 1. Recent labor productivity, unit labor costs, and related data

Industry

2012

NAICS

code

2017

Employment

(thousands)

Percent change, 2016-2017

Labor

productivity

Unit labor

costs Output Hoursworked

Labor

compensation

Wholesale Trade

Wholesale trade................................................... 42 6,039.5 2.7 -0.9 3.7 0.9 2.7

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods........................ 423 3,034.4 5.1 -3.0 6.3 1.1 3.1

Motor vehicles and parts.................................... 4231 347.3 7.9 -4.8 8.9 0.9 3.7

Furniture and furnishings.................................... 4232 111.7 -0.9 2.4 -1.1 -0.2 1.2

Lumber and construction supplies.......................... 4233 233.0 0.2 4.6 4.8 4.6 9.6

Commercial equipment...................................... 4234 630.4 5.4 -2.5 5.1 -0.3 2.5

Metals and minerals......................................... 4235 125.4 4.8 -1.9 4.3 -0.5 2.3

Appliances and electric goods.............................. 4236 336.1 5.5 -4.9 7.6 2.1 2.4

Hardware and plumbing..................................... 4237 257.2 -2.2 5.8 1.1 3.3 6.9

Machinery and supplies..................................... 4238 672.0 5.7 -4.3 6.3 0.6 1.7

Miscellaneous durable goods............................... 4239 321.3 4.3 -3.6 5.5 1.1 1.7

Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods................... 424 2,103.9 1.1 1.8 0.6 -0.5 2.4

Paper and paper products.................................. 4241 121.2 -4.1 1.9 -1.8 2.5 0.1

Druggists’ goods............................................. 4242 203.1 2.0 0.6 0.5 -1.4 1.1

Apparel and piece goods.................................... 4243 153.7 -2.1 6.9 -5.3 -3.3 1.2

Grocery and related products............................... 4244 784.0 -0.1 2.4 1.2 1.3 3.7

Farm product raw materials................................. 4245 74.5 -1.9 5.8 -0.5 1.4 5.3

Chemicals..................................................... 4246 132.2 1.4 2.5 2.1 0.7 4.6

Petroleum..................................................... 4247 98.2 1.0 3.3 1.5 0.5 4.9

Alcoholic beverages......................................... 4248 199.8 0.9 0.1 1.7 0.8 1.9

Miscellaneous nondurable goods........................... 4249 337.2 6.4 -0.7 0.6 -5.5 -0.1

Electronic markets and agents and brokers................. 425 901.2 0.1 -1.7 4.0 3.9 2.3

Electronic markets and agents and brokers............... 4251 901.2 0.1 -1.7 4.0 3.9 2.3

Retail Trade

Retail trade......................................................... 44-45 16,702.7 2.8 -0.9 3.9 1.0 3.0

Motor vehicle and parts dealers............................... 441 2,066.3 4.8 -3.2 5.6 0.7 2.2

Automobile dealers.......................................... 4411 1,330.1 4.5 -3.5 5.3 0.8 1.7

Other motor vehicle dealers................................ 4412 161.6 17.3 -10.4 17.2 -0.1 5.0

Auto parts, accessories, and tire stores................... 4413 574.6 -1.6 4.2 -0.9 0.7 3.3

Furniture and home furnishings stores....................... 442 515.0 9.7 -4.3 7.5 -2.0 2.9

Furniture stores.............................................. 4421 237.4 5.0 -2.4 4.1 -0.9 1.6

Home furnishings stores..................................... 4422 277.6 15.1 -6.4 11.4 -3.2 4.3

Electronics and appliance stores.............................. 443 520.3 9.0 -4.7 3.5 -5.1 -1.4

Electronics and appliance stores........................... 4431 520.3 9.0 -4.7 3.5 -5.1 -1.4

Building material and garden supply stores.................. 444 1,317.7 5.3 -4.1 7.3 1.9 2.9

Building material and supplies dealers..................... 4441 1,145.7 4.1 -3.4 6.3 2.2 2.7

Lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores........ 4442 172.0 13.6 -8.2 14.2 0.6 4.8

Food and beverage stores..................................... 445 3,185.0 0.2 0.5 2.1 1.9 2.6

Grocery stores................................................ 4451 2,762.4 -0.3 1.2 1.9 2.2 3.1

Specialty food stores........................................ 4452 248.8 5.6 -7.8 7.2 1.4 -1.2

Beer, wine and liquor stores................................ 4453 173.8 4.4 -2.7 2.7 -1.7 -0.1

Health and personal care stores.............................. 446 1,115.6 -2.2 3.0 -0.2 2.1 2.8

Health and personal care stores........................... 4461 1,115.6 -2.2 3.0 -0.2 2.1 2.8

Gasoline stations............................................... 447 940.0 -3.2 7.3 -2.2 1.0 4.9

Gasoline stations............................................. 4471 940.0 -3.2 7.3 -2.2 1.0 4.9

Clothing and clothing accessories stores.................... 448 1,482.7 0.0 1.8 1.4 1.3 3.2

Clothing stores............................................... 4481 1,097.2 -2.3 2.9 1.4 3.8 4.3

Shoe stores................................................... 4482 217.3 8.5 0.4 -1.0 -8.7 -0.5

Jewelry, luggage, and leather goods stores............... 4483 168.2 1.4 -1.8 3.6 2.2 1.8

Sports, hobby, music instruments, book stores. . . . . . . . . . . .. 451 664.3 1.2 0.0 -0.9 -2.2 -0.9

Sporting goods and musical instrument stores. . . . . . . . . .. 4511 573.5 1.9 -0.1 -0.6 -2.5 -0.7

Book stores and news dealers............................. 4512 90.8 -3.1 0.6 -2.8 0.3 -2.2

8
Table 1. Recent labor productivity, unit labor costs, and related data — Continued

Industry

2012

NAICS

code

2017

Employment

(thousands)

Percent change, 2016-2017

Labor

productivity

Unit labor

costs Output Hoursworked

Labor

compensation

General merchandise stores................................... 452 3,149.1 0.2 -1.2 2.8 2.6 1.5

Department stores........................................... 4521 1,194.8 2.3 -5.5 -0.2 -2.5 -5.7

Other general merchandise stores......................... 4529 1,954.3 -1.7 2.0 3.7 5.5 5.8

Miscellaneous store retailers.................................. 453 976.4 6.0 -0.9 2.2 -3.6 1.3

Florists........................................................ 4531 75.6 7.7 2.2 4.2 -3.3 6.5

Office supplies, stationery and gift stores................. 4532 274.6 4.9 3.9 -4.8 -9.2 -1.1

Used merchandise stores................................... 4533 226.7 12.8 -7.9 12.1 -0.7 3.2

Other miscellaneous store retailers........................ 4539 399.5 4.4 -1.2 2.5 -1.8 1.3

Nonstore retailers............................................... 454 770.3 6.1 1.5 10.6 4.2 12.3

Electronic shopping and mail-order houses............... 4541 468.7 7.1 3.3 12.5 5.1 16.2

Vending machine operators................................. 4542 46.6 -12.4 15.1 -0.9 13.2 14.0

Direct selling establishments................................ 4543 255.0 -2.8 3.4 -2.0 0.8 1.3

Food Services and Drinking Places

Food services and drinking places............................ 722 11,961.0 -2.2 5.7 0.5 2.7 6.2

Special food services........................................ 7223 844.4 -9.2 12.6 -3.7 6.1 8.4

Drinking places, alcoholic beverages...................... 7224 408.0 6.5 -6.7 14.0 7.0 6.4

Restaurants and other eating places....................... 7225 10,708.6 -1.9 5.6 0.3 2.3 5.9

9
Table 2. Long run labor productivity, unit labor costs, and related data

Industry

2012

NAICS

code

2017

Employment

(thousands)

Average annual percent change, 1987-2017

Labor

productivity

Unit labor

costs Output Hoursworked

Labor

compensation

Wholesale Trade

Wholesale trade................................................... 42 6,039.5 2.8 0.9 3.2 0.4 4.1

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods........................ 423 3,034.4 4.4 -0.6 4.6 0.1 3.9

Motor vehicles and parts.................................... 4231 347.3 3.7 0.0 3.5 -0.2 3.5

Furniture and furnishings.................................... 4232 111.7 1.8 2.4 1.6 -0.2 4.0

Lumber and construction supplies.......................... 4233 233.0 1.1 1.5 1.7 0.6 3.3

Commercial equipment...................................... 4234 630.4 11.7 -6.8 11.8 0.1 4.2

Metals and minerals......................................... 4235 125.4 -0.4 3.6 -0.2 0.1 3.4

Appliances and electric goods.............................. 4236 336.1 7.6 -3.0 7.2 -0.4 4.1

Hardware and plumbing..................................... 4237 257.2 1.6 1.9 2.3 0.7 4.3

Machinery and supplies..................................... 4238 672.0 1.8 2.1 1.7 0.0 3.8

Miscellaneous durable goods............................... 4239 321.3 1.0 2.6 1.6 0.6 4.2

Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods................... 424 2,103.9 1.2 2.7 1.4 0.2 4.1

Paper and paper products.................................. 4241 121.2 1.0 2.2 0.4 -0.7 2.6

Druggists’ goods............................................. 4242 203.1 2.6 3.7 3.7 1.1 7.5

Apparel and piece goods.................................... 4243 153.7 1.9 1.6 1.5 -0.4 3.1

Grocery and related products............................... 4244 784.0 1.0 2.4 1.7 0.7 4.2

Farm product raw materials................................. 4245 74.5 1.4 3.9 -0.3 -1.7 3.5

Chemicals..................................................... 4246 132.2 0.3 3.4 0.6 0.3 4.0

Petroleum..................................................... 4247 98.2 2.5 1.9 1.1 -1.4 3.1

Alcoholic beverages......................................... 4248 199.8 0.2 2.9 2.0 1.8 5.0

Miscellaneous nondurable goods........................... 4249 337.2 0.2 3.2 -0.2 -0.4 2.9

Electronic markets and agents and brokers................. 425 901.2 1.5 0.7 3.8 2.2 4.5

Electronic markets and agents and brokers............... 4251 901.2 1.5 0.7 3.8 2.2 4.5

Retail Trade

Retail trade......................................................... 44-45 16,702.7 2.9 0.0 3.4 0.5 3.3

Motor vehicle and parts dealers............................... 441 2,066.3 2.3 0.5 3.1 0.8 3.6

Automobile dealers.......................................... 4411 1,330.1 2.3 0.5 3.2 0.9 3.7

Other motor vehicle dealers................................ 4412 161.6 3.1 0.4 4.2 1.0 4.6

Auto parts, accessories, and tire stores................... 4413 574.6 1.0 1.4 1.8 0.8 3.2

Furniture and home furnishings stores....................... 442 515.0 4.0 -1.1 3.9 0.0 2.8

Furniture stores.............................................. 4421 237.4 3.4 -0.8 3.3 -0.1 2.5

Home furnishings stores..................................... 4422 277.6 4.7 -1.6 4.7 0.0 3.1

Electronics and appliance stores.............................. 443 520.3 10.7 -7.2 11.2 0.5 3.2

Electronics and appliance stores........................... 4431 520.3 10.7 -7.2 11.2 0.5 3.2

Building material and garden supply stores.................. 444 1,317.7 2.8 -0.2 3.5 0.6 3.3

Building material and supplies dealers..................... 4441 1,145.7 2.7 0.0 3.5 0.8 3.4

Lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores........ 4442 172.0 3.7 -1.1 3.6 0.0 2.5

Food and beverage stores..................................... 445 3,185.0 0.5 2.3 0.5 0.0 2.9

Grocery stores................................................ 4451 2,762.4 0.4 2.6 0.5 0.1 3.1

Specialty food stores........................................ 4452 248.8 0.5 1.8 -0.1 -0.6 1.8

Beer, wine and liquor stores................................ 4453 173.8 2.2 0.5 1.4 -0.8 1.9

Health and personal care stores.............................. 446 1,115.6 1.6 1.7 2.7 1.1 4.4

Health and personal care stores........................... 4461 1,115.6 1.6 1.7 2.7 1.1 4.4

Gasoline stations............................................... 447 940.0 1.5 1.4 1.2 -0.3 2.6

Gasoline stations............................................. 4471 940.0 1.5 1.4 1.2 -0.3 2.6

Clothing and clothing accessories stores.................... 448 1,482.7 4.0 -1.1 3.7 -0.3 2.6

Clothing stores............................................... 4481 1,097.2 4.3 -1.3 4.1 -0.1 2.8

Shoe stores................................................... 4482 217.3 2.9 -0.7 2.5 -0.4 1.8

Jewelry, luggage, and leather goods stores............... 4483 168.2 3.3 -0.1 2.6 -0.7 2.5

Sports, hobby, music instruments, book stores. . . . . . . . . . . .. 451 664.3 3.4 -0.8 3.9 0.5 3.1

Sporting goods and musical instrument stores. . . . . . . . . .. 4511 573.5 4.0 -1.3 4.7 0.7 3.4

Book stores and news dealers............................. 4512 90.8 1.2 1.0 0.4 -0.8 1.4

10
Table 2. Long run labor productivity, unit labor costs, and related data — Continued

Industry

2012

NAICS

code

2017

Employment

(thousands)

Average annual percent change, 1987-2017

Labor

productivity

Unit labor

costs Output Hoursworked

Labor

compensation

General merchandise stores................................... 452 3,149.1 2.9 -0.8 4.3 1.3 3.5

Department stores........................................... 4521 1,194.8 0.7 0.8 0.6 0.0 1.4

Other general merchandise stores......................... 4529 1,954.3 5.0 -1.9 7.5 2.4 5.5

Miscellaneous store retailers.................................. 453 976.4 3.3 -0.9 3.1 -0.2 2.2

Florists........................................................ 4531 75.6 3.1 0.0 0.1 -2.9 0.1

Office supplies, stationery and gift stores................. 4532 274.6 5.4 -2.2 3.6 -1.7 1.4

Used merchandise stores................................... 4533 226.7 4.8 -2.4 6.3 1.4 3.8

Other miscellaneous store retailers........................ 4539 399.5 1.1 0.4 2.4 1.3 2.8

Nonstore retailers............................................... 454 770.3 7.9 -3.7 8.9 0.9 4.8

Electronic shopping and mail-order houses............... 4541 468.7 9.7 -4.7 14.1 4.0 8.7

Vending machine operators................................. 4542 46.6 0.2 3.1 -2.1 -2.3 0.9

Direct selling establishments................................ 4543 255.0 2.0 0.6 0.8 -1.2 1.4

Food Services and Drinking Places

Food services and drinking places............................ 722 11,961.0 0.4 3.2 2.1 1.7 5.3

Special food services........................................ 7223 844.4 1.0 1.8 2.2 1.2 4.0

Drinking places, alcoholic beverages...................... 7224 408.0 -0.2 3.0 0.0 0.2 3.0

Restaurants and other eating places....................... 7225 10,708.6 0.4 3.3 2.2 1.9 5.7

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