I ran into someone at a supermarket recently and he said “You study this stuff. How can this place be so busy at 11 am on a Friday morning? How come people aren’t at work?”
It’s actually pretty simple.
Depending on where you live in New Brunswick – only around 50 to 60 percent or so of adults are in the employed workforce. Of that 50 to 60 percent or so, a very large chunk work shifts or work part time. In addition, between 10 to 15 percent work for themselves and have more flexibility (which is why I was at the aforementioned supermarket at 11 am on a Friday).
So, at any given time during the work ‘day’ (9-5), you could have as low as 30-40 percent of the adult population actually at a formal ‘work’ job. That means the other 60-70 percent are out shopping at Costco.
Its also a friday, and the end of the school year, and the summertime.
Dave, i guess this means that 50-60 percent carry the other 40-50 percent, with gov. transfers and relatives. What percentage of people
retired, would have a private pension plan or large rrsp’s ? Let’s say
income over 30K a year for each person in household.
Not really. New Brunswick has a lower employment rate than Canada as a whole but you would find similar dynamics in other provinces. We could probably develop a ‘Costco index’ of economic health. If more than 50 percent of the adult population in a province is available to shop at Costco from 9-5 during the week, you have a problem. If less than 50 percent, you have a strong economy. 🙂
A substantial number of shoppers at Costco are in the retail and restaurant industry. They shop late morning (often every day) to stock up.
Thanks for the stats. I alway wondered about that when I shop during the week.