Professions in trade and commercial handicraft sectors: diverse but not gender balanced

In 2018, half of the 3.5 million workers in the trade and commercial handicraft sectors had specifically commercial jobs. The others had manufacturing, logistical, support or health related professions. Commercial occupations prevail in both retail and wholesale trade, but account for only a small proportion in commercial handicraft and in the trade and repair of motor vehicles. Logistical jobs are mainly found in wholesale trade. Their numbers declined between 2010 and 2018, with a significant decrease in the number of warehouse workers. The weight of support occupations is decreasing because of the fall in the number of administrative and secretarial staff.

Handicraft manufacturing, industrial manufacturing and logistical professions tend to be male-dominated, while jobs in the health and support sectors are mainly held by women. Commercial professions are gender balanced as a whole but rarely so if considered individually. Cashier and commercial handicraft jobs are almost exclusively held by women, while independent wholesalers and technical sales engineers are predominantly male. This imbalance is more pronounced in the trade sector than in the market economy as a whole.