What does a shelf stacker do?
You take boxes off the roll container, restock the shelves and put the oldest products at the front. Usually before the shop opens or just after closing.
No experience needed, but you need to be an early riserFlexi-jobs & student jobs in a supermarket
A supermarket runs from early to late: the first delivery arrives before the doors open, and on Saturdays there is a queue at every till. That is why supermarkets in Flanders look for extra people for the shelves, the tills and the fresh department. As a student you work up to 650 hours a year at reduced social contributions, as a flexi-jobber next to your regular job. The app lists the shifts per store.
Part of Retail
A morning in the supermarket
How does an early supermarket shift go?
An early shift in a supermarket starts at 6 am, while the store is still closed, and runs until midday. First comes the delivery, then the doors open. Click on a moment to see what you do.
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At the back, the delivery is waiting in roll cages. You wheel them in, check the label to see which aisle they are for and park them in the right spot. Heavy crates and packs of water you lift with two people, to spare your back.
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In the fresh section you take soft tomatoes and bruised apples out of the crates. Then you refill them with the new delivery, oldest at the front. By eight everything has to be full and neat, because that is when the first customers arrive.
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In the aisles you cut boxes open and put milk, pasta and tins on the shelves. You turn the labels to the front and check that the price tag is right. Empty boxes go flat to the baler.
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The first customers come in for fresh bread. You slide a new batch of part-baked bread into the oven and refill the bread shelves and pastries. In between you show someone the way to the coffee or the gluten-free products.
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With a handheld scanner and a trolley full of crates you walk the store for the click-and-collect orders. Chilled products go separately into the cold room. Around midday the next team takes over and your shift is done.
Common roles: Self-checkout assistant (saturday), Fruit and vegetable assistant (before opening), Bakery assistant (early morning), Chilled section assistant (friday), Order picker (morning), Goods-in assistant (6 to 9 am).
Which jobs can you do in a supermarket?
What do you do at a supermarket checkout?
You scan groceries, take payment and help customers at the self-checkout. On Saturdays it is the busiest spot in the shop.
Quick with numbers and friendly when it gets busyWhat does a fresh food assistant do?
You sort fruit and vegetables, restock the chilled counter and check best-before dates. In the bakery you bake off bread.
Follow hygiene rules, the rest you learn on siteWhat does an order picker for online orders do?
You walk the aisles with a list or scanner and collect the orders that customers pick up later. Working quickly and accurately counts.
No experience neededWhy work in a supermarket?
A supermarket needs people every week, not just in busy periods. That is why it is the first student job for many young people.
Start early, finish early
A shift that starts at 6 am is over around midday. So you can combine it with a class or training in the afternoon.
A store around the corner
Almost every town has a supermarket, often within cycling distance. You don't have to travel to the city centre or an industrial estate.
Work all year round
Tills and shelves run every week, with extra rushes around Easter, Christmas and in summer. So you can also work one fixed day a week.
Your first job from 16
You learn to stock shelves and sort fruit in one morning. Many students start here, from age 16 or from 15 after the first two years of secondary school.
What do you earn as a student worker in a supermarket?
We don't list an amount here: it depends on the shop, your age and the yearly indexation. This is how it works.
Which pay scale?
An independent or franchise supermarket often falls under joint committee 202 for food retail. Large chains sometimes have their own committee. Your contract states which committee applies.
Your age counts
If you are 15, 16 or 17, your minimum can be lower than that of an adult colleague. The older you get, the higher the minimum.
As a flexi-jobber
You get at least the pay scale of the joint committee, plus flexi holiday pay. The supermarket may pay more.
Know in advance
The hourly wage is shown with every shift in the app. In many supermarkets a Sunday shift earns a supplement or extra time off.
Student worker or flexi-jobber in the supermarket?
| Student worker | Flexi-jobber | |
|---|---|---|
| From what age? | From 16, or already from 15 if you have done the first two years of secondary school. A supermarket is often the first student job. | Age plays no role: you work at least 4/5 elsewhere or you are retired. |
| How many hours? | Up to 650 hours a year at reduced contributions. | No maximum. Tax-free up to 18,440 euros a year, unlimited for pensioners. |
| What is deducted? | A 2.71 percent solidarity contribution. | Nothing in social security contributions. |
| Early and late hours | Under 18? Then in principle you don't work between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. A shift from 6 a.m. is fine. | Early or late, without extra restriction. |
| Flexi in the supermarket | Not applicable. | Possible since 2018, as in all of retail. |
All the rules for 2026Rules checked on 7 October 2026.
How to start
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Step 1
Apply
Pick a shift in the app and tap apply.
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Step 2
Get accepted
The business picks you and your contract is ready.
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Step 3
Clock in
Arrive on time and clock in through the app.
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Step 4
Work your shift
You work and break when it's allowed.
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Step 5
Get paid
Clock out, your pay follows within days.
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For shifters
A student job in a supermarket next to your classes
- Early shifts before the store opens
- Saturdays at the tills or the self-checkout
- Every shift shows the store and the hours
For businesses
Short of people at the tills or on the shelves?
- Post a shift for tills, shelves or fresh food
- Early shifts for the delivery too
- Contract and declaration handled online
Frequently asked questions
From what age can you work in a supermarket?
As a student you can start in a supermarket at 16, or already at 15 if you have finished the first two years of secondary school. For many young people it is their first student job. If you are under 18, you generally don't work between 8 pm and 6 am, so an early shift from 6 am or a Saturday at the checkout works fine. Some stores ask a minimum age per task, and then it is shown with the shift.
Can I work for a big supermarket chain through AnyShift?
Shifts on AnyShift come directly from the supermarkets that post them, often independent and franchise stores. Which stores near you have shifts, you can see in the app. We don't promise a specific chain. You don't need a cover letter or a job interview: you respond to a shift and the store chooses who comes to work.
How early does a supermarket shift start?
Restocking shelves and unpacking deliveries often happens before the store opens, so a shift can start at 6 am. Till shifts follow the opening hours and run until closing time. Every shift shows the start and end time. If you are under 18, you in principle do not work between 8 pm and 6 am.
Do I need to know how to use a till?
No. On your first till shift you usually get an explanation of scanning, the card terminal and closing the till. At the self-checkout you help customers and now and then check a basket. You need no experience to restock shelves or work in the fresh department.
What do I do in the fresh department?
Sort fruit and vegetables, remove damaged items and refill the crates, or bake off bread in the bakery. With pre-packed meat and cheese you check the use-by date and put the oldest products at the front. Working with unpackaged food comes with hygiene rules, such as a hairnet and washing your hands.
When do supermarkets need the most people?
On Fridays and Saturdays, in the weeks before Christmas and New Year, around Easter and in the summer holidays, when regular staff are on leave. When a big promotion runs, shelves need restocking more often. On Sundays many supermarkets are closed or open shorter hours.
Can I work in a supermarket as a flexi-jobber?
Yes, supermarkets fall under retail, where flexi-jobs have been possible for years. You do need to work at least four fifths elsewhere, checked on the third quarter before, or be retired. Students work on a student contract, up to 650 hours a year at reduced contributions.
Ready for your first shift in a supermarket?
Download the app as a shifter or register your business for free.