'Recognising hard work' | Lidl to increase wage of 20,000 staff

Despite the current widespread economic uncertainty caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the German supermarket brand Lidl unveiled plans this week to increase the hourly wages of staff in entry-level positions outside London from £9.30 to £9.50, with an increase adjusted to London weighting for those stores inside of the M25. 

According to the Retail Gazette, the chain confirmed that the pay rise would benefit over 20,000 staff members across the UK, or the equivalent of 80% of its workforce in Great Britain – an investment of over £8million.

Lidl said that due to the increase, its staff would benefit from a minimum of 78p more than the current Government national minimum wage of £8.72 per hour (for over 25s) outside of the M25 and £2.13 within the M25.

“It is only right that we increase the income for our colleagues who are the backbone of our business,” Lidl GB Chief Executive Christian Härtnagel told the Retail Gazette.