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Retail’s Seasonal Hiring Could Hit Lowest Point Since 2009
Retailers plan to add fewer than 500,000 seasonal jobs, marking an 8% drop from last year and the smallest gain since 2009, amid inflation and tariff pressures.
- Challenger, Gray & Christmas projects U.S. retailers will add fewer than 500,000 seasonal jobs in the last quarter of 2025, the smallest gain in 16 years.
- This forecast follows softer job growth, inflationary pressures, tariffs increasing costs, and fewer retailers announcing seasonal hiring plans by this time compared to last year.
- Spending intentions have declined as PwC reports shoppers plan to reduce holiday spending by 5%, influenced by price rises in household goods and audio equipment year over year.
- Andy Challenger noted that this year, seasonal employers are contending with multiple challenges, including looming tariffs, persistent inflation, and a trend toward depending more on automated systems and permanent employees rather than hiring many temporary seasonal workers.
- The muted hiring pace implies retailers are not expecting a strong holiday surge, suggesting cautious consumer demand and potential challenges in the upcoming shopping season.
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Seasonal retail hiring drops to lowest level since 2009
The retail industry is experiencing a significant decline in seasonal hiring, reaching its lowest level since the 2009 recession. According to a report from job placement firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas, retailers are projected to add less than 500,000 positions in the final three months of 2025. This projection marks the smallest seasonal gain in
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'Tis the season for holiday hiring, but a leading firm that supports laid-off workers is predicting a 16-year low for end-of-year employment in the retail industry as shoppers squeezed by higher prices spend less this year.
·United States
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources11
Leaning Left2Leaning Right1Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution57% Center
Bias Distribution
- 57% of the sources are Center
57% Center
L 29%
C 57%
14%
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