Expansion of modern food retail to create 8,500 jobs this year

Food retail chains continue to be the most active employers in retail this year, with around 8,500 jobs to be created, although retailers are slowing down expansion in the context of the freezing of shopping centre projects. Hypermarket operators will continue to be the most dynamic recruiters this year, followed by discount store chains. Last year, the expansion of modern food retail created almost 12,000 jobs, 3,500 more than are announced for 2009, according to data centralised by ZF. With 34,000 redundancies announced for February-May alone by 300 companies, most of which are privately owned (according to ANOFM - The National Employment Agency), expansion of modern retail could be a breath of fresh air for the labour market. In fact, some retailers see the increase in the unemployment rate in areas affected by the closing of plants as an opportunity. "Indeed, layoffs in the industrial sector lead to a reduced purchasing power in the affected areas, while at the same time making it easier for us to find staff. So far, we have had a very hard time finding staff in small towns," says Caius Crisan, general manager of Profi discount store chain.