Court dispute | Asda 'disappointed' to lose equal pay ruling

Supermarket behemoth Asda are ‘disappointed’ to have lost an appeal in the latest development of a long-standing legal dispute with their employees over equal pay – the BBC reports.

This ruling means that lower paid shop staff – who are predominantly women – can compare themselves with higher paid warehouse workers – who are said to be predominantly men. Despite losing the appeal, Asda is reportedly confident with the continuation of the case. Asda said in a statement:

"We are obviously disappointed with the decision, which relates to a preliminary issue of whether jobs in different parts of the business can be compared."

The supermarket chain announced that it launched the appeal because " it involved complex legal issues which have never been fully tested in the private sector and we will continue to ensure this case is given the legal scrutiny it deserves".