Wholesale & Retail Trade Wages Climb 2.34%: Workers Benefit From Rising Demand

The Salary and Wage Index (SWI) shows that wages in Nepal’s wholesale and retail trade sector rose by 2.34% in FY 2024/25, with the index increasing from 100.44 in July 2024 to 102.79 in July 2025. This reflects the sector’s resilience and its central role in Nepal’s economy, where rising consumer demand—fueled by remittances, urbanization, and festival spending—has pushed employers to adjust wages upward.

The growth, though slightly below the national average of 2.63%, demonstrates the importance of retail and trade activities as consistent wage providers. Unlike slower-growing industries such as manufacturing (+1.34%) and construction (+1.63%), the retail sector benefitted from increased household consumption and expanding distribution networks across both urban and semi-urban centers.

For workers, this wage hike translates into better income stability in a sector that employs a large share of Nepal’s labor force, from small shopkeepers to large retail chains. For employers, however, higher wages come at a time when operating costs and competition are intensifying, requiring efficiency improvements to sustain profitability.