SOC 8111 Process, plant and machine operatives

Food, drink and tobacco process operatives Salary

Median salary £27,267 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £27,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For food, drink and tobacco process operatives, £28,243 is the typical (median) pay. That is well below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -28% versus the national average. Experienced food, drink and tobacco process operatives (top 25%) earn over £33,002.

About this role

Food, drink and tobacco process operatives operate machinery and production lines in food manufacturing, breweries, distilleries and tobacco processing. They monitor production, ensure food safety standards and maintain output quality in regulated environments.

Key responsibilities

Operating food and drink processing machinery
Monitoring production processes and checking quality
Following food safety and hygiene procedures (HACCP)
Recording production data and completing batch records
Cleaning and maintaining production equipment

Qualifications and entry routes

Food Safety Level 2 certificate is mandatory. No formal qualifications typically required for entry. On-the-job training provided. NVQ in Food and Drink Manufacturing Operations is available.

Career outlook

Steady demand in food manufacturing. Automation is creating need for operatives who can manage increasingly computerised production systems.

Key skills

Machine operation Food safety awareness Quality monitoring Hygiene standards Attention to detail

Common industries

Food manufacturing
Bakeries
Breweries and distilleries
Dairy processing
Ready meals production

Data coverage

SOC code 8111

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 147,000

Median Salary

£27,267

Mean Salary

£27,613

Jobs (000s)

147k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P10: £16kP25: £23kMedian: £27kP75: £33kP90: £40k

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£15,598

0-2 years

Mid Level

£22,837

3-7 years

Senior

£33,002

8-15 years

Leadership

£39,705

15+ years

Potential career growth: +155% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +60.5%Real growth: +16.3%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 16.7%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£27,267

Full-time Only

£28,243

Full-time premium: +£976

Food, drink and tobacco process operatives salary: common questions

How much do food, drink and tobacco process operatives earn in the UK?

Food, drink and tobacco process operatives earn a median of £28,243 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £22,837 and £33,002.

Is £28,243 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for food, drink and tobacco process operatives?

Entry-level food, drink and tobacco process operatives typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £22,837, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £15,598.

How much do the highest-paid food, drink and tobacco process operatives earn?

The best-paid 10% of food, drink and tobacco process operatives earn over £39,705 a year, and the top 25% over £33,002 (ONS ASHE 2025).

Have food, drink and tobacco process operatives salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median food, drink and tobacco process operatives pay has risen from £17,873 to £28,243 — +58% in cash terms, or +15% after CPIH inflation. That is ahead of inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for food, drink and tobacco process operatives?

Male food, drink and tobacco process operatives earn a median £28,899 and female food, drink and tobacco process operatives £24,080 — a gap of +17% in 2025.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).