Hope That Second Month of Strong Gains Begins Trend to Counter Labor Shortage

ARLINGTON, Va. — Today’s jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed a second straight month of strong gains for the consumer packaged goods industry. According to the Consumer Brands Association’s analysis of the February BLS data, 7,987 CPG jobs were added last month, though the industry still has 132,000 job openings. Wages for manufacturing facility roles also rose 9.2% over last February. Consumer Brands released the following statement from President and CEO Geoff Freeman:

“After a long period of sluggish and uneven job growth, today’s report shows the second month of solid gains. It is our sincere hope that this is the beginning of a trend that moves the industry to full employment, but make no mistake, there is still a long way to go.

“While we are encouraged by recent job growth, we cannot afford to lose focus on addressing the root causes of the supply chain crisis. In addition to the industry’s own labor gap, there is an urgent need to grow the workforce up and down the CPG supply chain, particularly in trucking.

“If we want continued job gains, there must be a strategy to get more Americans into the labor pool. The unemployment rate obscures the millions of Americans sitting on the sidelines of the workforce — many of whom CPG companies would like to see join their ranks.”

### 

The Consumer Brands Association champions the industry whose products Americans depend on every day, representing nearly 2,000 iconic brands. From household and personal care to food and beverage products, the consumer packaged goods industry plays a vital role in powering the U.S. economy, contributing $2 trillion to U.S. GDP and supporting more than 20 million American jobs.