Shelf fillers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time shelf fillers in the UK earned a median £24,896 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 36% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
It is in the lowest-paid third of the 382 occupations (22nd from the bottom).
Median full-time pay: women £21,837 a year, men £25,904 a year.
Full-time paid hours are shorter than usual, a median of 35.3 a week.
Most jobs here are part-time: 6,000 of about 15,000 are full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 35.7% (from £18,346), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 49,600 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | – | – | – | – | – | £12.19 |
| 20th percentile | – | £397.50 | £12.21 | £10,603* | £203.40* | – |
| 25th percentile | £21,090 | £424.10 | £12.48 | £11,315 | £214.50 | £12.21 |
| 30th percentile | £21,593* | £439.00 | £12.94 | £11,864 | £229.80 | £12.22 |
| 40th percentile | £22,979 | £455.60 | £13.36 | £14,088* | £293.40* | £12.49 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £24,896 | £493.70 | £13.63 | £15,809* | £344.80 | £13.09 |
| 60th percentile | £26,321* | £503.90* | £13.89 | £19,305* | £387.80 | £13.66 |
| 70th percentile | £27,395* | £589.00* | £14.14 | £21,732* | £438.90* | £13.90 |
| 75th percentile | – | – | £14.85* | £23,032* | £456.00* | £13.91 |
| 80th percentile | – | – | – | – | £495.00* | £14.14 |
| Mean | £26,262 | £530.90 | £14.40 | £17,925 | £358.30 | £13.90 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £18,346 | £364.10 | £9.95 | £12,468 | £228.70 | 45 |
| 2022 revised | £19,489* | £425.70 | £10.48 | £13,142* | £278.10* | 12* |
| 2023 revised | £21,221* | £418.50 | £11.31 | £14,656* | £273.80* | 10* |
| 2024 revised | £25,520* | £513.90 | £12.40 | £16,103* | £318.00* | 11* |
| 2025 provisional | £24,896 | £493.70 | £13.63 | £15,809* | £344.80 | 15 |
Shelf fillers by region
UK: 49,600 (± 8,600), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What shelf fillers do
Shelf fillers receive incoming goods from storage, check them for damage and place them on the appropriate shelves in the store. (ONS SOC 2020, 9241)
Also covers: customer team member (shelf filling), evening merchandiser, general assistant (retail trade), grocery assistant, shelf filler, shelf stacker, ambient controller, produce assistant, provision assistant, provisions assistant, replenishment assistant, shelf packer, shelf replenisher, shelf stocker, stock assistant, stock replenisher, ambience replenishment controller and CTM (shelf filling) (39 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Selects goods from storeroom and checks for any damage
- Checks store layout or written instructions to determine the appropriate shelf location for the goods
- Prices goods by machine and fills shelves with goods
- Monitors depletion of stocks and re-fills shelves as required
There are no minimum academic entry requirements. Some on-the-job training may be provided.
Related
Elementary sales occupations (median £24,987) · Elementary sales occupations n.e.c. · Exam invigilators · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026