Retailers are on a hiring spree. But consumers are sending warning signs

Retailers are ramping up hiring this year, defying economic concerns as consumers keep shopping.

The retail trades added nearly 22,000 jobs in April, accounting for almost one-fifth of total job growth, according to preliminary federal data released Friday. Nearly 15.5 million employees now hold retail industry jobs, the most since July 2024.

Consumers have kept their wallets open in the face of war in Iran, higher gasoline prices, faster inflation and President Donald Trump's tariff policy. Lately, a solid consumer has left retailers confident enough to hire more workers to stock shelves or staff cash registers.

“This still shows how resilient spending has been, even amid a lot of the uncertainty,” said Cory Stahle, senior economist at job search platform Indeed. “It's an encouraging sign for the industry and for the economy more broadly.”