A new survey conducted by the service sector union Verdi has revealed alarming levels of dissatisfaction among employees in the retail sector. The study, which included 11,732 workers from retail, wholesale, and foreign trade between April and June 2025, highlights deep concerns about low wages, high workloads, and the negative impact of digitalization.
According to the results, 79 percent of employees believe their pay is unfair compared to their workload. More than half, 52 percent, said their monthly wages are only just enough to cover basic living costs, while 19 percent reported that their wages are not sufficient at all. Looking to the future, 68 percent of respondents fear that their pension will not be enough to live on.
The survey also underscores the physical and mental toll of retail work. 67 percent of respondents reported being heavily or very heavily burdened by their work, while 62 percent said they would change jobs if they had the opportunity. In addition, 78 percent cannot imagine being able to work in their current job until retirement without significant limitations.
Silke Zimmer, member of the Verdi federal executive board responsible for the retail sector, emphasized the urgency of reform. “Many employees are already turning their backs on the retail sector because they can no longer endure the working conditions,” Zimmer warned.
While digitalization is often associated with efficiency, the survey results show a different picture for retail workers. For 63 percent of respondents, digital processes play a large or very large role in their daily work. Instead of easing workloads, digitalization has intensified them. 49 percent complained that it has led to more work, more control, and more stress.
Zimmer explained: “Digitalization is used in retail primarily as an instrument of control. This leads to considerable stress. Instead of relieving employees, digital processes place an additional burden on them.”
Beyond pay and workload, the study also sheds light on interpersonal challenges in the workplace. 46 percent of respondents reported being treated in a derogatory manner, with 51 percent pointing to customers and 47 percent to supervisors as the source of such treatment.
Zimmer stressed the need for better leadership in the sector. “Retail needs managers who stand up for their employees and support them. Both in terms of physical demands and workload, retail urgently needs to provide relief. We need collective bargaining agreements for more good work and health-promoting leadership. Because good work is not a luxury, but a right of employees in order to be able to stay in their jobs long term. That is what we are fighting for.”
The findings underline the urgent call for structural changes in the retail industry. Zimmer argued that retail work must be better compensated overall and highlighted the need for family-friendly full-time contracts, particularly in the retail sector. These, she said, are essential to ensure that employees can live with dignity and later receive an adequate pension.
For Verdi, the survey results reinforce a central principle: working conditions have a direct impact on life quality. According to the union, every employee has a right to “Good Work” – work that does not harm health, provides fair pay, and contributes positively to life. As Verdi emphasized, this is not only a responsibility of employers but also a matter of labor legislation.
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