General Consumer Products

The health of the general consumer products industry depends largely on the strength of the American economy. If the economy is weak, Americans are less likely to spend money on high-end consumer goods such as cars and high-end electronics. If the economy is strong, Americans are more likely to purchase goods in every category. On the other hand, people purchase some goods, such as clothing or food, regardless of the state of the economy—although in a weak economy, consumers are more likely to patronize “big box” stores and discount retailers that typically provide the lowest prices.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reports that employment in the manufacturing sector will increase by 0.8 percent from 2023 through 2033. A total of 110,000 new jobs will be added during this time span. Several major issues will affect employment in general consumer products manufacturing. Many manufacturers are facing salary, work hour, and other employment issues with their workers. Work stoppages or slowdowns can severely affect production, and ethical companies are trying to balance the financial realities of doing business (e.g., the rising cost of labor, shipping, and raw materials, increasing government regulation) with the well-being of their employees. Second, the Great Recession of 2007–2009 caused many companies to merge or close. This has helped some of the surviving companies to prosper, but it also reduced the number of jobs in the field. Finally, competition from foreign general consumer products companies—which can produce goods for far less money, in most cases, than it costs American companies to produce them—is severely challenging U.S. manufacturers. Manufacturers must find ways to remain competitive with these companies without sacrificing product quality or lowering worker wages so much that workers go on strike or engage in work slowdowns.

Employment in the retail trade sector is expected to decrease by 2.3 percent from 2023 through 2033, according to the DOL. A decline of 364,000 jobs is expected during this time frame. Little or no change in employment is expected for retail sales workers from 2023 to 2033. "The increase in online sales is expected to continue over the projections decade, limiting growth in the number of physical retail stores and reducing demand for retail sales workers," according to the DOL. As online shopping continues to grow, department stores will put greater emphasis on developing creative storefronts, unique in-store experiences, and customer service as a way to compete with online stores. Store employees may be required to handle extra duties as retailers contend with cost pressures. Employment for sales workers at florists, electronics and appliance retailers, grocery and specialty food retailers, and book and media stores is expected to decline. On the other hand, job growth is expected for sales workers in the following retail areas: lawn and garden equipment and supplies; sporting goods; health and personal care; clothing, clothing accessories, shoe, and jewelry; furniture and home furnishings; and motor vehicles. With online sales expected to increase, general consumer products companies will hire more advertising and marketing workers—especially those with experience in social and mobile media—in the coming years. Employment of market research analysts is expected to grow by 8 percent (faster than the average for all careers) through 2033, according to the DOL. "The increase in the collection and analyses of big data—extremely large sets of information, such as social media comments or online product reviews—can provide insight on consumer behaviors and preferences," according to the DOL. "Businesses will need market research analysts to conduct analyses of the data and information." Job opportunities will be best for those with data analysis and statistical skills.

General consumer products companies will also hire an increasing number of information security professionals in order to protect their organizations from cybercrime and safeguard customers' financial information. Job opportunities for information security analysts in the retail sector are expected to increase by 17.6 percent (much faster than the average for all careers) from 2023 through 2033, according to the DOL. Employment growth of 23.3 percent is expected for information security analysts in the manufacturing sector through 2033.

Salaries in the general consumer products industry vary by career and employer. For example, an industrial engineer at Microsoft will earn a higher salary than a similar worker at a small computer company. According to the DOL, workers in production occupations had mean annual earnings of $43,630 in 2023, which is lower than the average ($48,060) for workers in all occupations. Sales workers received median annual wages of $36,760. On the other hand, marketing managers earned median annual salaries of $157,620 a year; marketing research analysts and marketing specialists earned $74,680; and information security analysts earned $120,360 annually. These figures exceed the national average for all workers. In May 2023, first-line supervisors of sales workers earned the following mean annual salaries by employer: automobile dealers, $100,300; building material and supplies dealers, $54,860; food and beverage stores, $51,670; general merchandise stores, $48,590; clothing stores, $46,680; and book retailers and news dealers, $46,000. Retail sales workers earned mean salaries of $34,520.