Thousands of Scottish Aldi workers to get inflation-busting pay hike

Discounter Aldi is to hike the pay for its in-store staff by just over 3 per cent, making it one of the best-paying supermarket chains in the UK.
The firm currently has 874 stores in the UK. Picture: ContributedThe firm currently has 874 stores in the UK. Picture: Contributed
The firm currently has 874 stores in the UK. Picture: Contributed

The German-owned group, which recently unveiled plans to further expand its Scottish footprint, said minimum hourly rates will rise from £9.10 to £9.40, with workers inside the M25 London orbital route getting £10.90 an hour instead of £10.55.

For employees who have been with the business for three years or more, pay will increase to £10.41 an hour, while workers in London with two years’ service will earn £11.15. Aldi also pointed out that it is one of the few supermarkets to pay staff during breaks.

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Giles Hurley, chief executive of Aldi UK, said: “The dedication and commitment our store colleagues deliver every day when serving our customers underpins our success. We have the most efficient and productive workforce, and this is why they earn the highest rates of pay in the grocery sector.”

The firm, which currently has 874 stores in the UK, is recruiting for more than 3,800 store-level positions this year and confirmed that it was on track to achieve its long-term target of 1,200 UK stores by 2025.

Hurley added: “We want to recruit the best people in retail, invest in their training and provide them with the opportunity to develop their careers with Aldi as our business grows.”

The new rates exceed the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended pay rates. Many retailers are in a fierce battle to retain and reward workers. Greggs, for example, recently announced that its staff would share in a £7 million bonus pool.

Earlier this month, Aldi outlined plans to open a further six Scottish stores in 2020 as it creates up to 200 jobs. Last year marked the 25th anniversary of Aldi opening its first outlet in Scotland.

Consumer price inflation is currently running at an annualised rate of just 1.3 per cent.

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