Discount supermarket giant Aldi has announced a significant increase to its minimum wage for store employees in the UK, raising it to a minimum of £13.00 per hour nationwide. This latest pay rise, set to come into effect from September 1, 2025, positions Aldi as the highest-paying supermarket in the UK, a claim the company proudly reiterates.
The new national minimum rate marks an increase from the current £12.75 per hour. For employees working within the M25 area, the minimum hourly rate will rise to £14.33, up from £14.05. Furthermore, based on length of service, store assistants could see their pay rise to £13.93 nationally and £14.64 within the M25.
Giles Hurley, Chief Executive of Aldi UK and Ireland, emphasized the company's commitment to its workforce. "Our people are the driving force behind our success across the UK," he stated. "This latest investment in pay is a reflection of their hard work and the incredible contribution they make every single day. We're proud to remain the UK's highest-paying supermarket and will continue to support our colleagues in every way we can."
Aldi also highlights that it remains the only UK supermarket to offer paid breaks to all employees, a benefit it estimates to be worth approximately £1,385 a year for the average store employee. The new minimum rates also exceed the Real Living Wage of £12.60 an hour, which was set by the Living Wage Foundation in October of last year.
This announcement follows a series of pay increases across the UK supermarket sector. The national minimum wage for workers over 21 rose to £12.21 an hour in April. Other major retailers like Tesco and Sainsbury's have also recently increased their minimum hourly rates for store workers, with Tesco's set to reach £12.64 from the end of August and Sainsbury's/Argos rising to £12.60 in August. Lidl, another prominent discounter, increased its hourly pay for thousands of workers to £12.75 earlier this year.
In addition to the pay rise, Aldi announced last month its plans to create 1,000 new store positions by the end of 2026 as part of its ongoing UK expansion strategy. The company currently operates over 1,050 stores and employs more than 45,000 people across the UK.
