If you've ever run out of gloves mid-service, you already know the problem. Too few boxes and you're making emergency orders at inflated prices. Too many and you're sitting on stock that ties up cash.
Here's a straightforward guide for UK catering businesses based on how most kitchens actually operate.
The basics: how many gloves does one person use?
A typical food handler goes through 8-12 pairs of gloves per shift. That's based on:
- Changing gloves between tasks (raw protein to ready-to-eat food)
- Changing after touching packaging, equipment or non-food surfaces
- Double-gloving for certain tasks like handling raw meat in high-volume environments
A box of 100 gloves gives you 50 pairs. One person working a full shift will get through roughly half a box per day.
Estimating by kitchen size
Small kitchen - 2 to 4 food handlers
- Daily usage: 1-2 boxes
- Weekly order: 7-14 boxes
- Recommended monthly order: 30-60 boxes
Medium kitchen - 5 to 10 food handlers
- Daily usage: 3-5 boxes
- Weekly order: 21-35 boxes
- Recommended monthly order: 90-150 boxes
Large kitchen or catering operation - 10+ food handlers
- Daily usage: 5-10+ boxes
- Weekly order: 35-70+ boxes
- Recommended monthly order: 150-300 boxes
These figures assume a single shift. If you run double shifts, double the numbers.
Which glove for a catering environment?
Blue nitrile is the industry standard for food service in the UK. Blue is the preferred colour because it's easily spotted if a glove tears and ends up in food - a requirement under HACCP and BRCGS audit standards.
Vinyl gloves are suitable for light tasks like sandwich prep, salad assembly or front-of-house service where there is no contact with raw protein or allergens.
Avoid latex in a commercial kitchen - the allergy risk to both staff and customers is too significant.
For thickness, 3-4 mil is appropriate for most food tasks where dexterity matters. For butchery or heavy raw protein handling, consider 5-6 mil for extra puncture resistance.
Always buy powder-free gloves for food use. Powdered gloves can contaminate food and are prohibited in many food production environments.
What size gloves should I order?
For most kitchen environments, Medium and Large cover the majority of hands. If ordering for a team, a 50/50 split of Medium and Large reduces wastage. If in doubt, order Large - staff with smaller hands can work in a large glove more easily than the reverse.
The cost of running out vs ordering right
Running out mid-service typically means:
- Sending someone to a cash-and-carry at retail prices (2-3x the bulk cost)
- Slowing down service while you wait
- A potential food safety compliance issue if gloves are not available when needed
The solution most larger kitchens use is a standing order - a fixed monthly delivery based on your team size. Epic Solutions offers free delivery on orders over £80, and a subscription discount of 15% for regular monthly orders.
Quick formula for your kitchen
Use this to calculate your monthly order:
Number of food handlers x 30 pairs per day x working days per month divided by 50 pairs per box
For a kitchen with 8 staff working 25 days a month: 8 x 30 x 25 / 50 = 120 boxes per month
If in doubt, order slightly more than you think you need. Unopened boxes keep for 3-5 years when stored correctly.
How to store gloves correctly
Store boxes flat in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight and ozone sources such as fluorescent lighting - both degrade nitrile faster than most people expect. A dry stockroom shelf away from windows is ideal. Avoid storing near cleaning chemicals or anywhere with strong odours.
Related reading: Food Safe Gloves for Catering | Vinyl Gloves | All Disposable Gloves