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Market vendor

Also called barrow boy, costermonger, market trader

Market vendors sell products such as fruit, vegetables and household products on organised outdoor or indoor market places. They use sales techniques to recommend their goods to passersby.

Will there be jobs?Average prospects31 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Sales workersWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €800 (Bulgaria) to €4,500 (Ireland) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Sales workersWhat do I need to study?Upper secondary or vocational6 in 10 finished upper secondary or vocational training. 3 in 10 train through vocational routes.Sales workersWill AI change it?In some tasksLevel 3 of 6. AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.Stall and market salespersons · ILO

What you'd do

Stall and market salespersons · ILO
  • Obtaining permission to set up a stand at a particular place in streets, markets or other open spaces
  • Determining product mix, stock and price levels for goods to be sold
  • Buying or contracting a regular supply of goods to be sold from wholesale suppliers or directly from producers
  • Erecting and dismantling stalls and stands, and transporting, storing, loading and unloading goods for sale
  • Demonstrating and selling goods and accepting payment
  • Stacking and displaying goods for sale, and wrapping and packing goods sold
  • Keeping accounts and maintaining a record of stock levels
Arrange permit for market stallAdapt to different weather conditionsOrganise product displayAssist customersMaintain work area cleanliness+ 3 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • On your feet most of the day
  • Constant contact with people, including the public
  • Good freedom to decide
  • Usually under 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines most weeks
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the similar US job "Demonstrators and Product Promoters"

Will there be jobs?

Average prospects

A typical number of jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as sales workers in the EU
15.79m15.71m16.15m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
173,000 new jobs 4,772,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Sales workers31
All jobs29
Right now
4 of 27 countries report a shortage of stall and market salespersons, 6 a surplus.
Stall and market salespersons · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €800 a month (Bulgaria) to €4,500 (Ireland), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among service and sales workers in the EU, women earn 3% less per hour than men. Service and sales workers · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Upper secondary or vocational

Upper secondary or vocational training in wholesale and retail sales is the usual route.

Highest qualification of sales workers (EU, 2025)
Degree 16%Vocational 42%General secondary 19%Basic schooling 22%
Field that teaches it
Wholesale and retail sales
Vocational route, EU
3 in 10 trainees in this field

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

In some tasks

AI could take on part of some tasks, but none fully.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.35 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 7 tasks
Keeping accounts and maintaining a record of stock levels0.60
Determining product mix, stock and price levels for goods to be sold0.45
Demonstrating and selling goods and accepting payment0.43
Buying or contracting a regular supply of goods to be sold from wholesale suppliers or directly from producers0.42
Obtaining permission to set up a stand at a particular place in streets, markets or other open spaces0.21
Erecting and dismantling stalls and stands, and transporting, storing, loading and unloading goods for sale0.17
Stacking and displaying goods for sale, and wrapping and packing goods sold0.17

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for stall and market salespersons. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).