Butcher: tasks and pay
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As a butcher you cut up carcasses and pieces of meat and prepare them for further processing and preparation. The trade is also known as meat cutter, butcher-deboner or charcutier. You check the quality of the products, sort and portion pieces of meat, prepare butcher's specialities for sale and package food products correctly. You also sort and remove offal, clean your tools and keep your workstation spotless, always following the rules for food safety and hygiene. In Flanders butchers work in the food retail sector, from local butcher shops to supermarkets, a craft where skill with the knife and respect for the product go hand in hand.
Typical tasks
- Check the quality of the meat
- Cut up carcasses and pieces of meat
- Sort and portion pieces of meat
- Prepare butcher's specialities
- Package food products correctly
- Sort and remove offal
- Clean your tools and maintain your workstation
Required skills
- Skilled and safe knife work
- Strict hygiene and knowledge of food safety rules
- Physically fit for standing work in a cooled environment
- Precise and quality-minded
- Customer-friendly when selling in the shop
What does a butcher earn?
Indicative Belgian pay range: €17 to €23 gross per hour. Experience, specialisation and the type of employer make the difference. Employee pay estimate; actual pay depends on experience, sector pay scales and working hours. Premiums, overtime and benefits are separate.
How to apply via Werkvolk?
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Frequently asked questions
Answers to the most common questions about applying via Werkvolk.
What does a butcher do?
A butcher cuts up carcasses and pieces of meat and prepares them for further processing. You sort and portion the meat, prepare butcher's specialities for sale and package the products. You always work according to the rules for food safety and hygiene and keep your tools and workstation spotless.
How much does a butcher earn in Belgium?
Indicative Belgian pay range: €17 to €23 gross per hour. Experience, specialisation and the type of employer make the difference. Employee pay estimate; actual pay depends on experience, sector pay scales and working hours. Premiums, overtime and benefits are separate.
What is the difference between a butcher and an artisan butcher?
An artisan butcher typically works in an independent butcher shop and makes most products in-house, from cutting the meat to preparing charcuterie and specialities. A butcher is the broader term and also covers colleagues in supermarkets and the meat industry, where the work is often more specialised per station. The core craft of cutting, preparing and hygienic working stays the same.
Is there strong demand for a butcher in Flanders?
Yes, butchers are in demand across Flanders. Butcher shops, supermarkets and meat-processing companies keep looking for skilled people, because fewer young people choose the trade while the demand for fresh, quality meat products remains. A trained butcher therefore has very strong cards on the labour market.
What qualifications do you need to become a butcher?
A specific diploma is not always legally required, but a training in butchery or meat processing, through secondary education or an apprenticeship, is the most common route. Knowledge of food safety and hygiene is essential in this trade. Many butchers keep refining their skills on the job, from deboning to preparing specialities.
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