Aldi store assistants are being given a third pay rise in just 12 months, taking the starting rate for new staff members from £11 to £11.40 an hour, and rising to £12.85 for those inside the M25.
The increases, which will be effective from 1 July, are expected to benefit more than 28,000 employees as part of a £100 million investment in wages by the retailer in just a year.
Based on length of service, national rates will rise further to £12.30 and for those within the M25 will reach £13.15.
Announcing the increases, the retailer described the workforce as “the best in the sector”. It also highlighted that the new amounts are above the Living Wage Foundation’s Real Living Wage hourly rate of £10.90 nationally and £11.95 inside the M25.
Giles Hurley, chief executive officer of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “We believe our colleagues are the best in the sector and we are committed to ensuring they are also the best paid.
“We are incredibly proud of every single member of Team Aldi and are pleased to become the first UK supermarket to pay a minimum of £11.40 per hour to all store assistants.”
In revealing the move, the discount chain also highlighted that is the only supermarket to offer paid breaks, which are worth an extra £927 annually for the average employee.
Aldi, which employs 40,000-plus people in more than 990 stores in the UK, created 4,500 permanent positions last year. This year, it plans to introduce 6,000-plus new roles.
The latest announcement follows a number of wage rises, including an hourly rate boost for 7,000 UK warehouse workers.
