Will AI replace Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers?

Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 40 official task statements scored for Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers (United Kingdom, SOC 9132), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 2 out of 100 (range 1–7, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.

Which tasks in “Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers” can AI already do?

The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Record repair information for packaging and bottling equipment” (56/100, partial); “Report any security or mechanical issues to a supervisor” (21/100, low); “Weigh or measure materials and products using scales or measuring instruments” (10/100, minimal). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.

Which tasks in “Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers” stay human?

About 98% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Tend cutting or slicing machines during operation” (0/100, minimal); “Start machines to verify setups, and make any necessary adjustments” (0/100, minimal); “Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.

What should someone working in “Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers” do about AI?

Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 98% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.

How is the AI exposure score for Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers calculated?

Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 40 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

UK dataswitch to US

Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers

filling and labelling bottles or jars according to product specifications, depressing pedals to control cutting and slicing machines, feeding stock under cutting blades for packaging and manufacturing tasks and inspecting samples for damaged goods and breakages. If that's your week, this page is about your job.

The honest answer

AI changes the edges of this job, not the middle: filling and labelling bottles or jars according to product specifications is work software can't reach.

Your move: what you can actually do about this ↓

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 0%
changing shape: 2%
staying human: 98%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

Whole-job exposure score 2 out of 100 (1–7 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, across 40 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.

How we know this

What is measured: Every published task statement for packers, bottlers, canners and fillers is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

What shifts is recording repair information for packaging and bottling equipment. This page scores what today's tools actually do, not headlines.

Your week, as this page understands it

Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers pack, wrap, fill, label and seal containers by hand or machine. The job title says “packers”, “bottlers”, “canners” or “fillers”: officially one job, several names. The real job is the part underneath: filling and labelling bottles or jars according to product specifications. That is the thing someone has to be right about.

The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But packers, bottlers, canners and fillers is not one task. It is 40 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is filling and labelling bottles or jars according to product specifications, and the ledger below shows exactly why.

Where the work sits, by task weight

shifting to AI: 0%
changing shape: 2%
staying human: 98%

These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.

How we know this

How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.

Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.

Your job, task by task

These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.

One task scored differently between repeat runs, so its range on this page is wider. We would rather show the wobble than hide it.
13 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Shifting to AI

0 tasks

Tasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.

Nothing in this job’s scored task list landed in this group. That is the measurement, not an editorial choice, and it is worth knowing either way.

Changing shape

1 task

Tasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.

Recording repair information for packaging and bottling equipment
The software now makes the first pass at repair information, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Record repair information for packaging and bottling equipment.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (49–63 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Writing up what was repaired is straightforward record-keeping that software can largely draft and file.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.

Staying human

39 tasks

Tasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.

Filling and labelling bottles or jars according to product specifications
This work happens in the physical world: bottles, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 9132/00
Source: “Fill and label bottles or jars according to product specifications.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Filling and labelling containers is handling work on the line.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Packaging items for delivery
This work happens in the physical world: items, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 85 · 9132/00
Source: “Package items for delivery.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Putting goods into packaging is hands-on work that has to happen at the bench.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Weighing or measuring materials and products using scales or measuring instruments
This work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 9132/00
Source: “Weigh or measure materials and products using scales or measuring instruments.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 10 out of 100 (3–17 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Weighing goods means handling them, even though the numbers themselves are simple to record.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Monitoring packaging operations to detect malfunctions and ensure product integrity
This work happens in the physical world: operations, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 9132/00
Source: “Monitor packaging operations to detect malfunctions and ensure product integrity.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 6 out of 100 (0–13 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Spotting a machine going wrong depends on being at the line, hearing and seeing what it is doing.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Assembling cartons, crates and containers using hand tools
This work happens in the physical world: cartons, crates and containers, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 9132/00
Source: “Assemble cartons, crates, and containers using hand tools.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Building cartons and crates with hand tools needs hands on the materials.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Labelling products accurately for packaging or dispensing
This work happens in the physical world: products, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 9132/00
Source: “Label products accurately for packaging or dispensing.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–7 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Applying and checking labels on the line is hands-on work at the packing bench.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Packing items in a small warehouse
This work happens in the physical world: items, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 9132/00
Source: “Pack items in a small warehouse.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Packing goods in a warehouse is physical work done on the spot.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Sealing packaging using tape, glue, staples or shrink-wrap
This work happens in the physical world: tape, glue, staples or shrink-wrap, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 9132/00
Source: “Seal packaging using tape, glue, staples, or shrink-wrap.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sealing packages with tape, glue or shrink-wrap is hands-on work at the bench.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Measuring materials for project specifications to maintain product quality and packaging standards
This work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 9132/00
Source: “Measure materials for project specifications to maintain product quality and packaging standards.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 8 out of 100 (1–15 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Measuring materials means handling them, even though comparing the result against the specification is a simple check.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

Show the other 30 tasks

Reporting any security or mechanical issues to a supervisor
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: any security, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Report any security or mechanical issues to a supervisor.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 21 out of 100 (14–28 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Noticing the problem means being on the floor, though passing the message on is simple reporting.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Adjusting machine settings for different tasks
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machine settings, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Adjust machine settings for different tasks.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 8 out of 100 (1–15 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Changing settings between jobs is done standing at the machine, though the settings themselves are written down.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 3/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Adjusting machine settings, speed or tension to produce products that meet specifications
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machine settings, speed or tension, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 9132/00
Source: “Adjust machine settings such as speed or tension to produce products that meet specifications.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–7 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence, and it moved between repeat runs, so the range is widened.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Changing machine speed and tension settings is done at the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Depressing pedals to control cutting and slicing machines
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: pedals, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 9132/00
Source: “Depress pedals to control cutting and slicing machines.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Working machine pedals means standing at the machine and operating it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Inspecting products to ensure they meet specifications
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: products, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 9132/00
Source: “Inspect products to ensure they meet specifications.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Checking that delivered products match the specification means physically examining them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Moving finished products to storage areas ready for despatch
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: finished products, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 9132/00
Source: “Move finished products to storage areas ready for despatch.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Moving finished goods to storage is lifting and carrying that needs a person there.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Placing materials and products in boxes
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 9132/00
Source: “Place materials and products in boxes, lorries, or conveyors using hand tools.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Loading boxes, lorries and conveyors by hand is physical work on the floor.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Removing and stacking completed materials or products
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: completed materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 9132/00
Source: “Remove and stack completed materials or products.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Removing and stacking products is manual handling that has to be done in place.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Setting up machines and starting the bottling process
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machines, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 9132/00
Source: “Set up machines and start the bottling process.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Setting up the bottling line and starting it is hands-on machine work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Supplying machines with packaging materials and labels for continuous operation
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machines, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 9132/00
Source: “Supply machines with packaging materials and labels for continuous operation.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Keeping machines topped up with packaging and labels means being at the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Weighing or measuring materials or products to ensure specification conformance
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 9132/00
Source: “Weigh or measure materials or products to ensure specification conformance.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Weighing and measuring products requires hands on the goods and the scales.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Cleaning and sterilising machinery to maintain high food safety standards
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machinery, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Clean and sterilise machinery to maintain high food safety standards.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cleaning and sterilising machinery is physical work in the plant.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Feeding stock under cutting blades for packaging and manufacturing tasks
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: stock under cutting blades, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Feed stock under cutting blades for packaging and manufacturing tasks.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Feeding stock under cutting blades is hands-on machine work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Inspecting samples for damaged goods and breakages
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: samples, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Inspect samples for damaged goods and breakages.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Checking samples for damage means picking them up and looking at them in person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Loading specified amounts of materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: specified amounts of materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Load specified amounts of materials into equipment or containers for further processing or storage.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Loading materials into vessels and containers is manual handling work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 1/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Moving and sorting the obtained items
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: the obtained items, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Move and sort the obtained items.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Moving and sorting items by hand needs someone physically doing it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Picking items for orders
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: items, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Pick items for orders.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Picking items means walking the aisles and lifting stock off the shelves.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Positioning spouts or chutes of storage bins for container filling
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: spouts, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Position spouts or chutes of storage bins for container filling.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Positioning spouts and chutes means adjusting equipment by hand.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Removing defective or substandard materials or products
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: defective, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Remove defective or substandard materials or products.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Pulling faulty products off the line is physical work done on the spot.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Stacking finished workpieces for storage or shipment
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: finished workpieces, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Stack finished workpieces for storage or shipment.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Stacking finished workpieces is manual handling done on the floor.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Supplying materials to spindles, conveyors, hoppers or other feeding devices
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 60 · 9132/00
Source: “Supply materials to spindles, conveyors, hoppers, or other feeding devices.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Loading materials into hoppers and conveyors is hands-on work at the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Adjusting and correcting machine set-ups to reduce thicknesses
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machine set-ups, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Adjust and correct machine set-ups to reduce thicknesses, reshape products, and eliminate product defects.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Correcting a machine setup means putting hands on the machine.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Cleaning and lubricating equipment as part of machine maintenance
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: equipment, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Clean and lubricate equipment as part of machine maintenance.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Cleaning and lubricating a machine is hands-on work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Fixing minor equipment problems, such as jams
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: minor equipment problems, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Fix minor equipment problems, such as jams.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Clearing jams and small faults means physically reaching into the equipment.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Lining and padding crates to prepare for product packing
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: crates, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Line and pad crates to prepare for product packing.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Lining and padding crates is hands-on preparation at the bench.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Manuallying set cutting guides, clamps and knives
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: set cutting guides, clamps and knives, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Manually set cutting guides, clamps, and knives.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Setting guides, clamps and knives by hand is physical machine work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Operating slicing machines to cut products into specific sizes
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machines, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Operate slicing machines to cut products into specific sizes.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Running a slicing machine means standing at it and operating it.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Positioning and feeding materials into processing machines
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: materials, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Feeding materials into the machine is manual loading work.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 1/4.
Starting machines to verify setups
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machines, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Start machines to verify setups, and make any necessary adjustments.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Starting machines and adjusting them means standing at the controls.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Tending cutting or slicing machines during operation
staying human
This work happens in the physical world: machines during operation, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 50 · 9132/00
Source: “Tend cutting or slicing machines during operation.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 0 out of 100 (0–4 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Tending a running machine means being present at it throughout.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 0/4 · needs a body in a room 4/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 2/4.

What this job pays, and how many people do it

Median pay: £26,200a year, before tax, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.ashe-t14, 2025 · ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
How we know this
Source: ashe-t14
Reference period: ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)
Rounding: Shown to the nearest £100. The exact published figure is in the downloadable dataset. We do not render pounds the survey cannot support.
People doing this job: 62,500in the UK, 2026.nomis-aps · Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period)This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.

What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.

Why this is shifting

The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: repair information in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: recording repair information for packaging and bottling equipment. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where bottles get done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.

Your move

Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend

Start with what does not change: filling and labelling bottles or jars according to product specifications is the middle of this job, and the evidence on this page says it stays with a person.

So, given all that: 0% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 2% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 98% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 40 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.

So the thing worth your attention is not the job going away. It is the layer around it. Recording repair information for packaging and bottling equipment is the part turning into software, and being the person who understands that layer is worth money.

This week: one thing

Ask the one question. Find whoever is bringing new software into your workplace (the manager, the office, whoever runs the system) and ask them what it is meant to do to repair information, and what it is not meant to touch. Ten minutes, this week, before anyone decides it for you.

What you end up holding: a straight answer about what is actually being rolled out, and when
How long it takes: ten minutes

If there’s nobody obvious to ask, or you’d rather not ask your manager: Put the same question to your union rep, your shift lead or the person who has been there longest, in person, over a break. Same ten minutes, same answer, and you will usually get a straighter one. Write down what they say. The note is the artifact, and it tells you whether bottles are in scope or not. Nothing to log into, no licence needed.

Over the next 90 days

Get inside the tool rollout rather than waiting for it. Over the next ninety days, ask to be in the group that tests, checks or signs off whatever new system arrives near recording repair information for packaging and bottling equipment. It is usually an unglamorous seat that nobody fights for, and it is the one that decides how the software is used on your job rather than to it.

Over the next 12 months

On this evidence I would not retrain out of this job, and I will say that plainly rather than hedge it. The task list here is dominated by work that stays with a person. What I would do with a year is get formally recognised for the layer around it (the systems, the compliance, the planning), so you are the one who understands the software instead of the one it is done to. Before you pay for anything, spend an hour with National Careers Service. It is free and government-funded, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.

The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them

I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.

I checked the 12 nearest UK occupations to packers, bottlers, canners and fillers (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was metal working machine operatives: only about 21% of its durable work is work you already do. And on the numbers you do not need one. This job scores 2/100 here, with only 0% of the task list in the top band, and “fill and label bottles or jars according to product specifications” is not work that hands over cleanly. None of them beats deepening what you already have.

How that was checked: this job was compared against all 412 UK occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.

3 moves I checked and rejected

These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.

Metal working machine operatives
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “stack finished workpieces for storage or shipment”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 21% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 21% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Warehouse operatives
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “weigh or measure materials and products using scales or measuring instruments”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 13% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 13% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on.
Look at that job’s page anyway →
Food, drink and tobacco process operatives
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “clean and sterilise machinery to maintain high food safety standards”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 12% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 12% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on.
Look at that job’s page anyway →

What I’d stop worrying about

A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.

The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 0% of its task weight, across 40 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
The headlines about your trade disappearing
They are usually about the technology, not the timetable. Changes to work like filling and labelling bottles or jars according to product specifications arrive through rules, insurance and money, slowly and visibly. This page tracks the task evidence and will move when it moves.
Retraining out of a job that is holding up
On this evidence I would not spend money leaving. Spend it on the layer around the job instead: the tools, the paperwork, the planning. That is where the change actually is.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.

You are reading the United Kingdom figures

The United States splits this work across more than one official group, of which Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.

Switch to the United States page →partial match

The other groups this work is counted across:

Packers and Packagers, Hand

In US official statistics this job is counted as Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders and Packers and Packagers, Hand. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.

Your route through this

Where to go next, and what it costs

Free, and complete

The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.

In England:
National Careers Service
A free hour with a government-funded careers adviser is worth more than another evening of reading. In England that's the National Careers Service.
Free, government-funded
- Discover your skills and careers (the skills assessment)
In England:
National Careers Service - Find a course
Search what's actually running near you before you spend anything.
Free to search; individual courses vary
In England:
Free courses for jobs (Level 3 qualifications)
A free Level 3 qualification you already qualify for beats a paid course you don't need.
Free for eligible adults
In England:
Skills Bootcamps
Free, up to 16 weeks, and you get a job interview at the end. In England these are Skills Bootcamps - search what's running near you.
Free for eligible adults in England
- Skills Bootcamps - what they are and who can do them (DfE, Skills for Careers)
- Skills Bootcamps - JobHelp (DWP)
In Scotland:
My World of Work (Skills Development Scotland)
In Scotland it's My World of Work, from Skills Development Scotland.
Free, publicly funded
- Skills Development Scotland
In Wales:
Careers Wales
In Wales it's Careers Wales.
Free, Welsh Government-funded
In Northern Ireland:
Careers Service Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland it's the Careers Service on nidirect.
Free, Department for the Economy-funded

Why there is no community here

Collab365, who build this site, run paid Spaces for a small number of subjects, and none of them is built for this job. We are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.

So the free services listed on this page are the whole answer, and it is the same answer we would give a friend.

Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for packers / bottlers / canners / fillers launches. Nothing else.

That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.

We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.

No Space for packers / bottlers / canners / fillers yet. Should there be one?

Collab365 Spaces is built by the same people as this site. We find the problems that AI and automation are creating inside one kind of work, then solve them as short courses, briefings and Blueprints. Each Space is the community too, so the research and the people doing your job are in the same place.

What a Space actually is, in full

Collab365 launches new communities where the need is real. If one for packers / bottlers / canners / fillers existed, with researched problems, courses and people in the same boat, would you want in?

Your email

We use your email address for one thing: to tell you if a Space for packers / bottlers / canners / fillers launches. We never sell it, never use it for unrelated marketing, and every email has a one-click unsubscribe. Our privacy policy has the full version.

This unlocks nothing. Every figure, every row and every step on this page is already yours, whether you fill this in or not.

No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.

Questions people ask about this job

Will AI replace Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers?: Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 40 official task statements scored for Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers (United Kingdom, SOC 9132), 0% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 2 out of 100 (range 1–7, band: minimal). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
Which tasks in “Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers” can AI already do?: The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Record repair information for packaging and bottling equipment” (56/100, partial); “Report any security or mechanical issues to a supervisor” (21/100, low); “Weigh or measure materials and products using scales or measuring instruments” (10/100, minimal). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
Which tasks in “Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers” stay human?: About 98% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Tend cutting or slicing machines during operation” (0/100, minimal); “Start machines to verify setups, and make any necessary adjustments” (0/100, minimal); “Position and feed materials into processing machines, by hand or by using automated equipment” (0/100, minimal). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
What should someone working in “Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers” do about AI?: Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 0% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 98% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
How is the AI exposure score for Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers calculated?: Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 40 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.

Where these numbers come from

About the data on this page

Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.
One task scored differently between repeat runs, so its range on this page is wider. We would rather show the wobble than hide it.
The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
13 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.

Task statements: gaisi-indexProcessing: catalogue-bridge → ssc-relatedness-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
Task weights: gaisi-index (relatedness)
Scores: Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-05.
Pay and employment: ashe-t14 (ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025))nomis-aps (Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period))

Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.

The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.

The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.

How we score a job Download this release Look up another job

Using these figures?

Cite this

Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.

Plain text

Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).

BibTeX

@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
  title        = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
  author       = {{Collab365}},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
  note         = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}

Permalink

https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1

Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.