Lidl has pledged to give 19,000 employees a pay increase from March next year, at a cost of more than £10m.
The discount grocer said it would be increasing entry-level pay for staff from £9 an hour to £9.30 outside of London and from £10.55 to £10.75 an hour within the M25 – going up to £11.70 depending on location and length of service.
The supermarket chain said when the rises come into force in March, it will be paying between 13% and 30% higher than the Government’s current National Living Wage threshold.
Lidl UK boss Christian Härtnagel said: “During this time of such uncertainty, we feel fortunate to be able to make this investment in our colleagues and give them peace of mind with regards to their salary.
“Our hourly paid employees represent over 80% of our entire workforce and are the absolute backbone of our business. It is because of them that we continue to be the fastest supermarket and are able to realise our ambitious expansion plans.
“This move is, therefore, testament to the unwavering commitment that each and every one of them puts into their work on a daily basis.”
The news follows on from a number of announcements Lidl has made this year with regards to its burgeoning UK business.
It recently announced a £15bn investment in its food, farming and production over the next five years. It also announced a £500m investment in London in the same timeframe as it focuses on opening new stores in the capital.
It currently has a 770-strong store estate across the UK and this month confirmed it wanted to open 1,000 stores by the end of 2023.
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