food production operator
Food production operators supply and perform one or more tasks in different stages of the food production process. They perform manufacturing operations and processes to foods and beverages, perform packaging, operate machines manually or automatically, follow predetermined procedures, and take food safety regulations on board.
food production operator food production operators supply and perform one or more tasks in different stages of the food production process. The role shows moderate AI exposure (0.50 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include food waste monitoring systems, food safety principles, food ethics, food authentication techniques, food fraud.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £28,243 a year for Food, drink and tobacco process operatives (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
Middle half of full-time jobs: £24,471 to £33,889 a year
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 8111). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Plant and machine operators and assemblers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only food production operator, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 8. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Frequently asked questions
What does food production operator do?
Food production operators supply and perform one or more tasks in different stages of the food production process. They perform manufacturing operations and processes to foods and beverages, perform packaging, operate machines manually or automatically, follow predetermined procedures, and take food safety regulations on board.
What skills does food production operator need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include food waste monitoring systems, food safety principles, food ethics, food authentication techniques, food fraud, ensure sanitation. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace food production operator?
Our AI-durability model gives food production operator a score of 0.50 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.