jobfacts

Elementary sales occupations n.e.c.

SOC 2020 9249

Job holders in this unit group perform a variety of elementary sales related occupations not elsewhere classified in minor group 924: Elementary sales occupations.

Also calledAdvertisement fixerCallerPrice integrity assistantPicker-packerBill inspectorMinibar attendantand 39 more titles
People in the job44,000across the UK
New adverts a month102↑ 1.9%on last year · 388th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025
Typical pay by regionUK median —
North EastNot published by ONS–
North WestNot published by ONS–
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS–
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
West MidlandsNot published by ONS–
East of EnglandNot published by ONS–
LondonNot published by ONS–
South EastNot published by ONS–
South WestNot published by ONS–
ScotlandNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
Show as table
UK median, —
North EastNot published by ONS
North WestNot published by ONS
Yorkshire and The HumberNot published by ONS
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
West MidlandsNot published by ONS
East of EnglandNot published by ONS
LondonNot published by ONS
South EastNot published by ONS
South WestNot published by ONS
ScotlandNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 102 jobs for elementary sales occupations n.e.c. are advertised each month.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (2 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026Not published
Jul 2026144
Jun 2026101
May 2026106
Apr 202668
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 202691
Jan 2026103
Dec 202561
Nov 202596
Oct 2025154
Sept 202599
Aug 202583
Jul 202583
Jun 202571
May 202578
Apr 202568
Mar 202574
Feb 2025104
Jan 2025110
Dec 202467
Nov 2024242
Oct 2024115
Sept 202466
Aug 202465
Jul 202475
Jun 202467
May 202476
Apr 202498
Mar 202454
Feb 202451
Jan 202475
Dec 202340
Nov 202369
Oct 202342
Sept 202343
Aug 202351
Jul 202341
Jun 202362
May 202373
Apr 202353
Mar 202361
Feb 202365
Jan 2023108
Dec 202291
Nov 2022121
Oct 2022131
Sept 2022123
Aug 2022108
Jul 2022140
Jun 2022111
May 2022100
Apr 2022111
Mar 2022134
Feb 2022139
Jan 2022416
Dec 2021259
Nov 2021168
Oct 2021247
Sept 2021203
Aug 202197
Jul 2021169
Jun 2021108
May 202174
Apr 202155
Mar 202189
Feb 202131
Jan 202154
Dec 202050
Nov 202083
Oct 2020130
Sept 2020127
Aug 2020184
Jul 2020270
Jun 2020494
May 2020374
Apr 2020581
Mar 2020454
Feb 2020178
Jan 2020147
Dec 2019111
Nov 2019203
Oct 2019211
Sept 2019233
Aug 2019178
Jul 2019157
Jun 2019216
May 2019241
Apr 2019161
Mar 2019152
Feb 2019136
Jan 2019186
Dec 201886
Nov 2018205
Oct 2018165
Sept 2018246
Aug 2018259
Jul 2018188
Jun 2018424
May 2018323
Apr 2018268
Mar 2018201
Feb 2018315
Jan 201889
Dec 2017104
Nov 2017161
Oct 2017126
Sept 2017125
Aug 2017123
Jul 2017347
Jun 2017148
May 2017230
Apr 201784
Mar 201789
Feb 201762
Jan 2017145
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
16%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for elementary administration and service occupations, which includes elementary sales occupations n.e.c.. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London63
Bradford6
County Durham5
Fife4
Hartlepool4
Manchester4
Glasgow City4
West Dunbartonshire4
Dudley4
Trafford4
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where elementary sales occupations n.e.c. are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
Age of elementary sales occupations n.e.c.
38%!
21%!
10%!
18%!
12%!
n/p
!Small sample: treat with cautionn/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–2438% (small sample)
25–3421% (small sample)
35–4410% (small sample)
45–5418% (small sample)
55–6412% (small sample)
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!13%
Higher education below degree–
Not published
A levels or equivalent31%
GCSEs or equivalent33%
Other qualifications!12%
No qualifications!7.3%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent13% (small sample)
Higher education below degreeNot published
A levels or equivalent31%
GCSEs or equivalent33%
Other qualifications12% (small sample)
No qualifications7.3% (small sample)

Main employers: retail sale in non-specialised stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating (70%), other retail sale in non-specialised stores (7.8%), retail sale via mail order houses or via internet (4.8%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
13%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
GCSEs or equivalent
held by 33%
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • strips old posters from hoardings and fits new posters using brushes and working from a ladder if necessary
  • collects shopping baskets and trolleys in and around wholesale/retail establishments and positions near entrance to store
  • offers shopping baskets to customers entering retail establishments
  • select goods and groceries ordered online by customers, ensuring orders are picked, bagged and stored
  • wraps and packs goods for customers

Skills

  • assess shelf life of food products
  • change shelf labels
  • check price accuracy on the shelf
  • comply with food safety and hygiene
  • ensure stock storage safety
  • examine merchandise
  • monitor stock level
  • stock shelves
  • carry out stock rotation
  • handle sensitive products
  • maintain store cleanliness
  • prevent shoplifting

Knowledge

  • characteristics of products
  • characteristics of services
  • communication principles
  • teamwork principles

Suits people who like

  • Organising and following procedures
  • Practical, hands-on work

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for elementary administration and service occupations, a group of 26 jobs that includes elementary sales occupations n.e.c..
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 1.5%about 48,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 20351.5 millionincluding people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.