Automation Cuts Back-End Retail Jobs By 80%

According to a new report around 80% of retail jobs that are not involved directly to interact with customer will be lost to robots.

The report, produced by Oxford University revealed that more retail jobs are at risk than any other in UK, which is estimated to top around 2 million.

In UK, the number of jobs threatened by automation across other industries is around 10.4 million.

1/5^th of retail jobs in areas like logistics, transport and warehousing are not at risk of being replaced, with nearly two thirds of sales jobs also under threat.

The report warns that the automation will lead the retail industry as there is an increase in demand for warehouse space as more number of retailers move online, adding that 65% of available industrial space is currently spent on residential housing in London.

As an example in the US, the productivity has been 6 times more due to automation is estimated to make warehousing picking.

 “Retail is one industry in which employment is likely to vanish,” Martin School’s Carl Benedikt Frey said.