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Shelf filler

Also called rack jobber, shelf stacker, shelf stocker

Shelf fillers stock and rotate merchandise on shelves, identifying and removing expired products. They clean the shop after its operational hours, ensuring that the shelves are fully stocked for the next day. Shelf fillers may use trolleys, small forklifts to move stock and ladders to reach high shelves. They also give directions to customers in order to locate specific products.

Will there be jobs?Average prospects28 jobs to fill by 2035 for every 100 people doing this work today.Labourers in mining, construction, manufacturing and transportWhat does it pay?Below averageFrom about €800 (Bulgaria) to €4,300 (Denmark) a month, depending on the country.Estimate · Labourers in mining, construction, manufacturing and transportWhat do I need to study?Basic schooling4 in 10 have basic schooling only.Labourers in mining, construction, manufacturing and transportWill AI change it?Very littleLevel 1 of 6. AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.Shelf fillers · ILO

What you'd do

Shelf fillers · ILO
  • Placing goods neatly in bins and on racks, and stacking bulky goods on floors
  • Filling shelves with goods ensuring goods with the earliest use-by dates are at the front of shelves
  • Removing goods with past due use-by dates
  • Maintaining shelf order by removing stock belonging in a different location
  • Noting what has been sold and collecting goods needed from the stockroom
  • Obtaining articles for customers from shelf or stockroom
  • Directing customers to location of articles sought
  • Receiving, opening, unpacking, and inspecting for damage merchandise from manufacturer or distributor
Change shelf labelsCheck price accuracy on the shelfAssess shelf life of food productsEnsure stock storage safetyStock shelves+ 3 more essential skills
What the work is like
  • Indoors
  • On your feet most of the day
  • Lots of contact with people, including the public
  • Some freedom to decide
  • Often more than 40 hours a week
  • Deadlines now and then
  • Some repetitive tasks
US data: based on the O*NET profile of the US job "Stockers and Order Fillers"

Will there be jobs?

Average prospects

A typical number of jobs will need filling by 2035.

People working as labourers in mining, construction, manufacturing and transport in the EU
4.98m5.67m5.76m 201520232035

Solid: measured. Dashed: forecast.

Jobs to fill, 2026–2035
88,000 new jobs 1,502,000 replacing leavers
Jobs to fill per 100 people working now
Labourers in mining, construction, manufacturing and transport28
All jobs29
Right now
1 of 27 countries report a shortage of shelf fillers, 12 a surplus.
Shelf fillers · EURES

What does it pay?

Below average

Pay depends a lot on the country: from about €800 a month (Bulgaria) to €4,300 (Denmark), before tax.

Pick a country at the top of the page to see typical pay there, for people under 30, and compared with all jobs.

Among elementary occupations in the EU, women earn 9% less per hour than men. Elementary occupations · Eurostat

What do I need to study?

Basic schooling

Most people start with basic schooling and learn on the job.

Highest qualification of labourers in mining, construction, manufacturing and transport (EU, 2025)
Degree 8%Vocational 36%General secondary 13%Basic schooling 42%

Pick a country at the top of the page to see where to study and the official course finders.

Will AI change it?

Very little

AI could help with only small parts of the tasks.

How exposed is this job? ILO scale
Very low
Low
Some tasks
Moderate
Significant
High

Average task score 0.20 on a scale from 0 (AI can't do it) to 1 (AI could do it fully).

See the score for each of the 8 tasks
Directing customers to location of articles sought0.43
Noting what has been sold and collecting goods needed from the stockroom0.27
Placing goods neatly in bins and on racks, and stacking bulky goods on floors0.17
Obtaining articles for customers from shelf or stockroom0.16
Maintaining shelf order by removing stock belonging in a different location0.15
Receiving, opening, unpacking, and inspecting for damage merchandise from manufacturer or distributor0.15
Removing goods with past due use-by dates0.15
Filling shelves with goods ensuring goods with the earliest use-by dates are at the front of shelves0.15

Based on what AI could technically do when assessed in 2025. It is not a forecast for a future year, and not a forecast of job losses. Scores for shelf fillers. Source: ILO (2025), adapted (credits).