Thousands of employees at Lidl supermarkets across the UK will find that their wages will see an increase next month. The German grocer has announced it’s introducing a “market leading” pay increase for 28,000 hourly paid colleagues.
The change is set to take effect from the beginning of March, just ahead of the National Living Wage update. Workers will see their wages increase to £12.75 per hour, up from £12.40, rising to £13.65 with the length of service.
Meanwhile, new starters in London will see their hourly wages rise to £14, increasing to £14.35 over time. Lidl is the latest supermarket to introduce a pay rise this year, following on from rival Aldi’s announcement of a pay increase on January 21.
The fellow German chain, which also offers its colleagues paid breaks, will also introduce the hourly increase from March 1. Aldi’s own increase will see store assistants paid £12.71 an hour, with that increasing to £13.62, which is just 3p shy of Lidl’s offers.
Meanwhile, workers within the M25 will be increased to £14, with that increasing to £14.23 over time.
Both Lidl and Aldi’s hourly pay increase comes just as the government’s National Living Wage has been updated. As of April, the Real Living Wage will rise from £11.44 to £12.21 per hour for adult workers over the age of 21.
With both budget supermarket’s implementing their hourly paid increase from March, they will exceed the updated Living Wage by over 50p each.
Lidl has said that its latest investment into workers’ across the business pay comes to a total of £15million overall. According to the supermarket, the last 12 months alone has seen its investment in pay total over £54million.
Stephanie Rogers, Chief People Officer at Lidl GB, commented: “More households than ever before are choosing to shop with us, making Lidl the fastest growing bricks-and-mortar supermarket for well over a year.
“This success is largely due to our hard-working colleagues, who each play an incredibly important role in delivering quality, affordable products to communities across the country. This pay increase is just one part of our commitment to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued.
“We’re proud to offer leading pay rates in the sector, while fostering a culture of opportunity and inclusion that helps our teams thrive. As we continue to grow, investing in our people remains at the heart of what we do, ensuring Lidl is not only a great place to shop but also a great place to work and grow a career.”