No one has ever wanted to work retail/service. And why would they? Customers can abuse employees with immunity and employers have a de facto dictatorial control over your life and the worst brag about how theyre eager to replace you
"No one" in the US perhaps. Customers look down on retail workers, and feel free to abuse them, because they are so economically disempowered. A nation which pays retail workers a fair wage is also a nation where retail workers are treated (somewhat) better.
More likely it was a combination. The stock boom from like 2010 to 2020 was huge. So many people were already in a good position. Then COVID was the extra push. Lot of people stay working out of momentum. Then you add changing business, who at that age is going to reinvent themselves if they do not have to. Add to that employers not treating people very well anyway.
I retired just before the pandemic. Just my observation based on my personal experience.
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