Food, drink and tobacco process operatives Salary in South East
Updated May 2026
Official salary data
Based on approximately 8,000 employees
Median
£27,138
Mean
£27,663
| Statistic | Annual pay (gross) |
|---|---|
| Median | £27,138 |
| Mean | £27,663 |
Pay by period
Weekly
£538
Mean £559
Hourly
£13.37
Mean £14.45
| Pay period | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Weekly | £538 | £559 |
| Hourly | £13.37 | £14.45 |
Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) · 2024 revised
Regional pay context
Median pay in South East is £2,736/month. Food, drink and tobacco process operatives earn 17% below the local median.
Source: HMRC PAYE Real Time Information (via ONS) · March 2026
Sector pay context
Average weekly earnings in the Manufacturing sector are £814/week. Earnings grew +3.5% over the past 12 months vs +3.7% nationally.
Source: ONS Average Weekly Earnings (EARN01), seasonally adjusted · February 2026
Employment patterns
- 81% of Food, drink work full-time (national average)
- 6% are self-employed (national average)
- 91% of employees have permanent contracts (national average)
Source: ONS Annual Population Survey (APS218), 2025
Take-home pay estimate
Estimate only · 2026/27 HMRC rates · Standard allowances · Not financial or tax advice
Pay by gender
Median annual pay
All employees
£27,138
Male
£28,503
Mean annual pay
All employees
£27,663
Male
£29,461
| All employees | Male | |
|---|---|---|
| Median | £27,138 | £28,503 |
| Mean | £27,663 | £29,461 |
Full-time vs part-time
Full-time (median)
£27,923
Full-time (mean)
£29,374
| Full-time | |
|---|---|
| Median | £27,923 |
| Mean | £29,374 |
Live job listings
Salary ranges from active postings on Reed and Adzuna.
No live listings found right now. Check back tomorrow after the daily refresh.