Supermarket chain Aldi says it is “committed” to being the “highest-paying supermarket” for workers after announcing that staff will get a third pay rise in 12 months.
Starting pay for store assistants will increase to £11 per hour nationally and £12.45 for those living in the Greater London area from 1 January 2023.
Aldi said pay rates can rise further to £11.90 and £12.75 respectively based on an employee’s length of service.
About 26,000 staff will benefit from the increase, which Aldi said will take its investment in pay over the past 12 months to £81m.
Giles Hurley, chief executive officer of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “We are incredibly proud of every single member of Team Aldi.
“...And we 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.”
A number of other supermarkets have announced pay rises in recent months amid the cost of living crisis.
Last month, pay for workers starting at Lidl - one of Aldi’s main competitors - rose from £10.10 to £10.90 nationally and £11.30 to £11.95 for those living in Greater London.
Marks & Spencer also hiked pay for workers in October. The company said more than 40,000 staff would benefit from an increase of pay from £10 per hour to £10.20.
Aldi, a family discount supermarket, has a total of 40,000 staff and 970 stores across the UK. Workers got a pay rise in February and another one was announced in July.
It was founded in Germany and its headquarters remain in Essen, about 22 miles west of Dortmund.
Earlier this year The Grocer - a supermarket trade magazine - named Aldi as its employer of the year.
