Value of Retail

Trade is a field we tend to take for granted. It surrounds us like air and the flow of money. The size and impact of trade are hard to grasp — we try to help by sharing some facts and figures.

Trade is one of Estonia's biggest employers and the centre of the ecosystem

Trade is Estonia's second-largest employer. It provides work for more than 90,000 people in Estonia — one in every ten working-age people.

90 000+

people work in trade

60%

women

30%

young people under 25

1/10

one in ten working-age people in Estonia

Trade is a county-level employer. In every county trade is the number-one or number-two employer for local people.

Trade creates jobs in other sectors too

Advertising

Merchants account for 10% of the world's advertising spend.

Payment services

Globally, payment fees from trade reached USD 1 trillion in 2018.

IT

Merchants are major developers and integrators of systems.

Real estate

Trade accounts for 15% of EU investment in real estate.

Waste collection

Batteries, packaging, electronics, clothing…

Energy and utilities

Data, consultants

Suppliers

Logistics and courier services

Service-economy specialists

Merchants develop their employees

Internships

In many countries trade is the leading provider of internships.

First work experience

Provides first work experience for newcomers to the labour market and offers further training to those with less experience.

Career opportunities

A real career path — you can grow from the shop counter to the boardroom table.

Further training and retraining

We help employees keep pace with evolving technology, customer expectations and the labour market.

Trade helps protect the environment

Reducing carbon emissions

Increasing use of green energy

Reducing food waste

Encouraging reuse and recycling

Reducing plastic packaging

Developing business models for second-hand product sales

Developing and selling eco-designed products

Trade invests in society

To stay competitive, retailers must make large investments

Investing in technology

Process automation
Robots
AI and data processing
Payment solutions
Blockchain technology

Investing in stores

New store formats, such as the convenience shop close to home
Keeping store fittings, furniture and equipment up-to-date and attractive

Investing in people

Retraining
Further training
Wage growth

Trade is the engine of digitalisation

Digitalisation contributes to sustainability, quality and efficiency.

Better inventory management reduces (food) waste.

AI and data analytics, drawing on customer purchase data, help craft personalised offers faster and more accurately.

AI helps plan more efficient and environmentally friendly freight transport.

Automation and robots boost the efficiency of logistics, stores and warehouses while cutting costs.

Electronic shelf labels reduce paper consumption.

The supply chain becomes more transparent.

Eco-friendly deliveries (bicycles, scooters).

Collaboration (e.g. last-mile home delivery).

Trade meets consumer demands

Merchants sell quality products at affordable prices

Strong negotiations with producers, bulk orders, efficient logistics, an inflation brake.

Negotiations

Merchants negotiate hard with producers to secure the best terms — and the consumer wins.

Bulk orders

Merchants place bulk orders, which lets products be sold to consumers at a lower unit price.

Logistics

Merchants are masters of streamlining the supply chain and logistics, which translates into a smaller markup in the final price.

Cost control

Merchants pursue cost control and savings throughout their business, helping to keep the final price in check.

Inflation brake

Goods inflation is lower than services inflation, and trade plays a role in that. We help keep inflation in check, saving consumers money.

What value does trade create in Estonia

We help and serve customers

storefront Merchants provide an essential service for everyone's daily life.
checklist Merchants offer choice, access and convenience.
payments Merchants sell quality products at affordable prices.
verified Merchants guarantee quality and safety.

We are an inclusive employer

groups Trade is the world's largest employer and Estonia's second-largest.
school Merchants develop their employees.
diversity_3 Merchants bring diverse groups into the labour market (young people, those with less education, immigrants).

We act in environmentally friendly ways

eco We make our stores and warehouse logistics more environmentally friendly.
recycling We help customers make healthy and sustainable choices.
handshake We value cooperation with suppliers and create transparency in the supply chain.

We invest in our local community

favorite Trade keeps communities and rural and urban districts alive, creating a safe and attractive environment, investing in the surroundings, and creating jobs.
handshake Trade supports its community through sponsorships, donations and partnership, by backing local producers, and through local taxes.
apartment Trade contributes to local life through charging points, access roads, building refurbishments and rising values of nearby property.

We contribute to the digital transformation

visibility Digital technologies help us increase supply-chain transparency, expand product information and raise product quality.
auto_mode Digitalisation and automation increase the efficiency and sustainability of our operations.
engineering We create plenty of work for digital specialists.
person_search We expand product range and personalisation for customers.

Impact analysis

What would we lose if there were no trade?

Product availability

Because retail buys goods at wholesale prices, every person in Estonia benefits from the lower prices merchants negotiate. Thanks to merchants' inventories, products are also on hand locally and don't take long to obtain. The availability of food and essentials is also a security matter.

Transparency and comparability

Thanks to the price information, comparison tables, origin certificates and other product background that merchants compile, people gain a better understanding of what they buy and can compare products and prices more easily.

Vibrant rural regions

Thanks to local shops and other businesses — eateries, entertainment and cultural venues — villages and towns are lively places where people want to go. The local shop is, for many, an important place for social connection.

Jobs

Trade is a major employer and provider of work experience for young people — sometimes also for those with less education or reduced work capacity.

Many products in one place

People would have to visit many more places to get the products they need. Trade saves time and effort.

Great experiences

Shopping is also a leisure activity. When a store has created an enjoyable environment and excellent service, it can be a genuinely uplifting experience for customers. Great service and friendliness are trade's contribution to a pleasant environment.

Trust and safety

Shoppers can trust merchants' expertise and reach to choose safe, quality products from trustworthy producers at the best possible price.