Close Menu
    Latest Category
    • Finance
    • Tech
    • EU Law
    • Energy
    • About
    • Contact
    EUbusiness.com | EU news, business and politicsEUbusiness.com | EU news, business and politics
    Login
    • EU News
    • Focus
    • Guides
    • Press
    • Jobs
    • Events
    • Directory
    EUbusiness.com | EU news, business and politicsEUbusiness.com | EU news, business and politics
    Home » “We need to work with the unions for the future of retail and wholesale”

    “We need to work with the unions for the future of retail and wholesale”

    npsBy nps15 October 2019Updated:28 June 2024 No Comments3 Mins Read
    — Filed under: Focus
    Share
    Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

    — last modified 15 October 2019

    Speaking today at the annual UNI Europa Commerce sector Conference in Bucharest, EuroCommerce Director-General Christian Verschueren underlined the importance of social partners working together to ensure that the 29 million Europeans working in retail and wholesale are equipped to have sustainable and rewarding jobs in this rapidly-changing commercial environment.

    UNI Europa and EuroCommerce are the only European Social Partners for the retail and wholesale sector, and EuroCommerce is pleased with the positive collaboration with UNI Europa since the creation of the European Social Dialogue Committee for Commerce in 1998. Verschueren commented on the positive and fruitful relationship with UNI Europa, dating back as far as 1983, and the work done together over the years on a range of issues of importance to employers and employees in our sector.
    Verschueren highlighted the seismic changes happening in retail and wholesale and specifically called on the unions to help prepare the employees for the future: 

    “The sector faces major challenges, ranging from digitalisation of the economy to rapidly changing consumer demands and lifestyles, along with global sustainability and health imperatives. Ours is a sector directly dependent on consumers. I am confident that it can and will adapt rapidly to meet their needs and aspirations. And indeed companies will only survive if they do. As social partners, both of us agree that tailored working conditions, continuous learning, innovative in-company training are vital for upskilling employees so that they can handle new technologies and ways of working.  We have been working together to press for EU support under ESF to expand our existing efforts to meet these challenges. But most solutions need to happen at national and local level. These are all areas we need employers and unions working together on, but with the future in mind”.

    Retail and wholesale is the largest private sector employer in each of the EU’s 28 Member States, and thus in the EU as a whole. We are proud of our record of investing in training, and seeing people starting on the shop floor gaining the skills to move into management. But retail of the future will be marked by adoption of data-driven technologies such as AI and blockchain. The sector will need people able to interact with new technologies, and to adapt along with rapid and constant changes in consumer expectations. We are moving with this evolution. For example, our German members and their social partners have evolved their dual learning education (the most successful dual learning programme in Germany), and developed a completely new digital job profile: the ‘e-commerce merchant’. This unprecedented example of innovative vocational education and training in our sector is preparing young people for the jobs of the future in retail. Technology is very important in this mix, but equally essential to the future of bricks-and-mortar retail will be making the most of the peoples’ expertise and social skills to offer top-quality customers advice and service.

    Verschueren concluded: “Our sector can no longer be defined by bricks and mortar or pure online players ? these distinctions are irrelevant where consumers can already choose any blend of the two. What will determine the future of physical stores will be investment in innovative new services – and in the soft skills and expertise of people working there – to make going to the shops an even more useful and enjoyable experience.”

    EuroCommerce

    Add A Comment
    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    You must be logged in to post a comment.

    nps
    • Website

    Related Content

    Euro - ECB-Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

    US Dollar remains steady amid Middle East tensions – Euro currency news daily

    EU agenda - Image by Andreas Lischka from Pixabay

    EU Agenda: Week Ahead – 16-21 June 2025

    Euro coins and notes - Photo by Pixabay

    Eurozone Economic Calendar

    Brussels to postpone market risk prudential requirements under Basel III by one more year

    Cyberattacks - Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

    EUR 145m calls to boost European cybersecurity for hospitals

    Black Banx

    The Best Banking Solutions for Digital Nomads in 2025

    LATEST EU NEWS
    Euro - ECB-Photo by Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

    US Dollar remains steady amid Middle East tensions – Euro currency news daily

    16 June 2025

    Brussels to postpone market risk prudential requirements under Basel III by one more year

    12 June 2025
    Cyberattacks - Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels

    EUR 145m calls to boost European cybersecurity for hospitals

    12 June 2025
    Detergents - Photo by Liliana Drew on Pexels

    EU Council and Parliament strike deal for safer detergents

    11 June 2025
    Cybersecurity - Image by Franz Bachinger from Pixabay

    EU adopts blueprint for dealing with European cyber crises

    6 June 2025

    Subscribe to EUbusiness Week

    Get the latest EU news

    CONTACT INFO

    • EUbusiness Ltd 117 High Street, Chesham Buckinghamshire, HP5 1DE United Kingdom
    • +44(0)20 8058 8232
    • service@eubusiness.com

    INFORMATION

    • About Us
    • Advertising
    • Contact Info

    Services

    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms
    • EU News

    SOCIAL MEDIA

    Facebook
    eubusiness.com © EUbusiness Ltd 2025

    Design and developed by : 

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    Sign In or Register

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below.

    Lost password?