UK supermarkets including Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, M&S, Asda and Morrisons are introducing a new £13 change amid the cost of living crisis
19:26, 14 Mar 2026
File photo of a shopper walking through the aisle of a supermarket(Image: Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Seven leading UK supermarkets are implementing £13 wage policies this March. Amidst the ongoing cost of living crisis, major grocery retailers are boosting staff salaries.
The statutory minimum wage will increase to £12.71 per hour in April 2026. Certain employers choose to pay a higher rate known as the Real Living Wage, which is determined by the Living Wage Foundation, a charitable organisation.
The present Real Living Wage stands at £13.45. Giles Hurley, the chief executive of Aldi UK and Ireland, said the company knows that “every single member of Team Aldi is fundamental to our success and deserve nothing less”.
“Our colleagues work incredibly hard to deliver exceptional value for our customers, and we’re rewarding that dedication with the highest pay in the sector”, reports Birmingham Live.
And Aldi isn’t the sole retailer implementing this change.
Aldi
Aldi has revealed its second pay rise for shop floor workers since the start of the year, as it competes to expand its UK market presence. The discount supermarket will remunerate its store assistants at £13.50 hourly from April – merely one month following an increase scheduled to commence in March.
London-based employees will receive £14.88. Both rates rise according to tenure.
Aldi stated the salary enhancement will benefit 28,000 team members, and claims it positions its entry-level employees as the best-paid amongst all supermarket workers, including its fellow discount chain Lidl.
Lidl
Lidl has announced an additional £29m investment in staff wages, which will once again position it as the highest paying supermarket in the UK. This pay increase will benefit all 35,000 employees, both salaried and hourly paid, nationwide.
This marks the seventh wage hike from the discount retailer since 2023, demonstrating Lidl’s ongoing commitment to its workforce. From 1st March, the starting hourly wage will rise to a market-leading £13.45 nationally, escalating to £14.45 with tenure.
In London, the hourly rate will jump from £14.35 to £14.80, further increasing to £15.30 with length of service.
Lidl employees are the only ones in the sector to benefit from both the Real Living Wage across the country and the London Living Wage, reflecting the discounter’s longstanding pledge to meet this standard.
Tesco
Tesco is set to boost hourly rates for its retail staff across the UK, with over 300,000 employees anticipated to reap the benefits. The wage increase, echoing a similar move by Primark, is slated to come into effect in March 2026.
As per The Workers Union (TWU), shop floor workers should see their hourly wage rise to around £13.35 nationwide. Meanwhile, those based in London could see their earnings increase to roughly £14.71.
M&S
From 1st April, MandS will raise its retail pay from £12.60 to £13.41 per hour, and from £13.85 to £14.74 per hour for London-based staff. This will impact approximately 55,000 UK employees.
Sainsbury’s
From March 2026, hourly wages at Sainsbury’s will rise to £13.23 nationally and £14.54 within London, the supermarket confirmed. Full-time hourly workers will see their annual earnings increase by more than £1,200, alongside a comprehensive benefits package.
Simon Roberts, Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s, said: “Our colleagues are at the heart of our business. Their hard work, dedication and commitment have driven our strong momentum and helped us win grocery market share growth for the sixth consecutive Christmas period. I’m delighted to share that we will be raising pay for our hourly-paid colleagues by five per cent this year. This increase reflects our commitment to rewarding our colleagues for their exceptional service and productivity.”
Joanne Thomas, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “Usdaw has a longstanding and valued relationship with Sainsbury’s and we welcome today’s announcement of an above inflation pay rise. Our members are key workers in their communities and crucial to the success of the business. It is only right they are fairly rewarded for their hard work, a case that Usdaw has consistently made in pay talks with the company.”
Asda
As of October 2025, Asda compensates its workforce at £12.60 hourly, rising to £13.82 for London-based staff. Approximately 115,000 employees benefited from this wage increase.
Hayley Tatum MBE, Chief People Officer at Asda said: “We’re proud to have invested more than £500m in retail pay over the last four years.
“Our colleagues are what makes Asda special, and this latest pay investment, plus an increased colleague discount and enhanced family friendly policies, recognises the key role they play in serving customers each day.”
Morrisons
According to the Retail Gazette, Morrisons employees receive a national wage of £12.21, which increases to £13.06 for those based in London.
