Supermarket announces second pay rise for staff in six months

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German discount supermarket Aldi has announced it will increase hourly pay again, the second time this year.

Pay for store assistants and deputy store managers outside London will rise to £12.40 from £12, starting June 1.

Workers in London will see their pay rise from £13.55 to £13.65, Aldi said.

This is Aldi’s second pay raise in Britain this year after hikes in February.

Several food and clothing retailers have raised their minimum rates of staff pay, ahead of an upcoming increase in the government’s national living wage.

Unlike most other supermarkets, Aldi also rewards shopworkers with paid breaks.

“We firmly believe that our colleagues are the best in the business, so it is only right that they remain the best-paid and we are committed to never being beaten on pay by any other supermarket,” said Aldi UK & Ireland CEO Giles Hurley.

“Our store operations colleagues play an integral part in our ever-increasing popularity among shoppers and our continued investment in their pay is another way to thank them for the role they play in making Aldi what it is today.”

The latest pay rise increased investment in pay so far this year to £79m, the supermarket said

John Lewis raised its rates by 10%, supermarket. Asda announced an 8.4% pay rise and Marks & Spencer a 10.1% increase for around 40,000 store staff.

Wage rises are closely observed by the Bank Of England as it assesses whether the inflationary pressure in the British economy has eased enough for it to cut interest rates from its highest level in 16 years.