What does a butcher do?

A butcher usually works shifts in a butcher’s shop, farm shop, supermarket counter, abattoir or slaughterhouse. When working in a retail environment, butchers are usually responsible for taking customer orders and scheduling deliveries. Butchers who run their own shops are often responsible for the administration of running the shop. Butchers working at a supermarket counter usually have to follow and meet the targets of the business that they work for. Butchers might work as part of a team, supervising assistants or trainee butchers with preparing meat correctly.

Butcher skills and qualifications

Butchers take a personal interest in meat preparation, perhaps with some culinary knowledge as well. They have good hand-eye coordination and can use their tools safely. Butchers also often have the following skills:

• Knowledge of specialist preparations of meat such as kosher or halal
• An ability to carry meat and load it into storage
• Good communication with the rest of their team, as well as customers, delivery drivers and salespeople
• Mathematical skills to calculate prices or check if invoices are correct
• An understanding of how to maintain high hygiene standards, including correctly washing and storing meat cutting tools
• Good sales skills and an ability to discuss different cuts enthusiastically with customers

Butcher experience requirements

Specific formal qualifications are not usually required to be hired as a butcher. Therefore, when writing a butcher job description, it might be a good idea to ask applicants to provide their background experience. A butcher might have previous experience working in meat production environments involving meat cutting, preparation and safe storage procedures.

Butcher education and training requirements

Although butchers do not require formal training, some employers might want to specify that they are looking for a Level 2 Award in Food Safety for Retail or Catering. This helps candidates to stand out as it means that they have food safety training and will likely be able to follow regulations well in their job. As food handlers in the UK often need food safety training, it might be easier to hire a butcher who already has these skills.

Some butchers might have completed an apprenticeship at a slaughterhouse or butcher’s shop. Some Advanced Butcher Apprenticeships provide trainee butchers with skills that might make them desirable in management or supervisor positions. Although it is not usually required for butchers to have a degree qualification, employers might look for candidates with a Meat Science degree or Food Engineering degree.

Butcher salary expectations

According to Indeed UK salaries, a butcher’s average salary is £22,298 per year. Salary may depend on the exact job duties and responsibilities, the employer, location and experience.

Butcher job description FAQs

What should you look for in a butcher resume?

When hiring a butcher, it might be useful to look for experience in the same or similar role. When deciding between multiple strong candidates, you might do so on the basis of strong previous experience, as well as relevant qualifications. Scanning applications for a Level 2 Award in Food Safety for Retail or Catering might be useful, as well as butcher apprenticeship experience. A good butcher resume may include experience working with the right tools, knowledge of storing meat safely, customer service and preparation skills.

What qualities make a good butcher?

Employers might prioritise different qualities depending on how customer-facing the role is. When hiring in retail or for a farm shop, employers may look for candidates who are demonstrably helpful, courteous, friendly and are good salespeople. They usually enjoy interacting with the public and build up a relationship with their local community.

All butchers, however, should ideally be clean, tidy and pay close attention to health and safety regulations. As being a butcher often involves a lot of manual labour, like packing carcasses, they will be able to show an ability to complete physical tasks.