Food Production Operative Salary in North East
Official ONS earnings for North East, covering 6,000 jobs.
Median salary — North East
£31,175
gross, per year, all employees
▲ 12.5% change on the previous year
Mean
£32,534
Jobs measured
6,000
What a typical food production operative takes home
On the median of £31,175, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£2,164
Take-home a year
£25,966
Income Tax
£3,721
National Insurance
£1,488
What most food production operatives actually earn
Half of food production operatives in North East earn between £27,182 and £38,750. Earning above £38,750 puts you in the top quarter of the profession.
ONS suppresses the detailed spread for this occupation at regional level, so this range describes the wider “Process Operatives” group in North East.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of food production operatives earn less than this.
How North East ranks for food production operative pay
1st
of 10 GB regions with a published figure
North East pays food production operatives more than anywhere else ONS measures — £3,248 above Wales, the lowest of the 10.
Ranking compares published regional medians for the same occupation. It says nothing about cost of living — a higher median doesn't survive contact with rent. The cost of living calculator is the honest next step.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Food, drink and tobacco process operatives
- SOC 2020 code
- 8111
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2026 provisional
ONS doesn't measure “food production operative” as its own category. These figures are for the wider group “Food, drink and tobacco process operatives”, which includes this role alongside others. ONS measures food, drink and tobacco process operatives.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are estimates from a survey of PAYE jobs and are not financial advice.
Food Production Operative salary FAQs
What is the average Food Production Operative salary in North East?
The median is £31,175 a year and the mean is £32,534, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Those cover all employees; ASHE publishes no full-time split at regional level.
How much does a food production operative earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £14.04 excluding overtime, or £14.30 for full-time employees. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for North East.
What is a good Food Production Operative salary?
Half of food production operatives earn between £27,182 and £38,750. Anything above £38,750 is in the top quarter for the role.
Do food production operatives in North East earn more than the UK average?
The median in North East is £31,175 against £29,258 across the UK, 6.6% higher, which places it 1st highest of the 10 GB regions with a precise estimate.
Has food production operative pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at +12.5% for this occupation in North East. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
How many food production operatives are there in North East?
ASHE counts around 6,000 employee jobs in “Food, drink and tobacco process operatives” (SOC 8111) in North East. Self-employed work is not included.
Is this figure official?
Yes. It comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, an accredited official statistic based on employer PAYE records.
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