Aldi has committed to raise its starting pay rate for store assistants to £11 an hour nationally, and £12.45 within the M25, as of 1 January 2023.
Around 26,000 of the supermarket’s employees will benefit from this increase, which is more than 15% higher than it was a year ago and represents an £81 million investment in staff pay in the last 12 months. Based on length of service, pay rates will rise further to £11.90 nationally and £12.75 within the M25.
The starting rates are higher than the real living wage set by the Living Wage Foundation, which increased its rates to £10.90 an hour across the UK and £11.95 an hour in London, a £1 and 90 pence respective rise, back in September. The rate rose by 10.1% this year, the highest increase in its 11-year history.
The updated rates are also higher than the government’s current minimum wage for staff aged 23 and above of £9.50.
Aldi said it will also be increasing the starting pay for thousands of its logistics workers to at least £10.90 in 2023, bringing it in line with the real living wage rate.
The supermarket also offers paid breaks, worth an additional £871 annually for an average store worker.
Giles Hurley, chief executive officer of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “Just as we promise Aldi customers that we will always offer the lowest grocery prices in Britain, we are committed to being the highest-paying supermarket for our colleagues.
“We are incredibly proud of every single member of Team Aldi and are pleased to become the first UK supermarket to pay a minimum of £11 per hour to all store assistants, exceeding the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended real living wage.”