Lidl GB rewards staff with £37m investment in pay after record Christmas trading

From March 1, the discounter’s entry level rates will increase from £11.40 to £12.00 outside of the M25, rising to £13.00 with length of service. Meanwhile, those working within the M25 will see pay rates rise from £12.85 to £13.55, increasing to £13.85 over time. These new entry level rates will be up to 17 per cent higher than the National Minimum Wage being introduced in April, the supermarket said.

The statement added: “The move represents an investment of more than £37m and includes increases for salaried colleagues across the business.”

The discounter is also introducing a bank holiday premium of £2.00 per hour and will enhance its nightshift premium to £3.50 per hour, while also extending the timeframe in which it is payable by one hour.

The statement added: “Today’s updates bring Lidl’s total investment in pay over the past 12 months to almost £60m. On top of this, Lidl is the only discounter to reward colleagues with an employee discount (10 per cent), which carries a value of up to £600 per person, equating to an investment of around £20m a year.

The investment follows record trading and market share gains over the Christmas period for Lidl, with sales growing by 12 per cent in the four weeks ending December 24 2023.

Ryan McDonnell, CEO at Lidl GB, commented: “ Investing in our people is vital as we set our sights further on increasing our market share.”