Aldi makes huge change that will impact 28,000 staff — better than Lidl and Tesco

Aldi has announced a pay rise for thousands of staff across the country, making it the UK’s best-paying supermarket. From April 1, store assistants at the German discount retailer will earn £13.50 per hour nationally and £14.88 inside the M25.

These rates rise to £14.47 and £15.20 respectively, based on length of service. The increase will benefit more than 28,000 hourly paid store colleagues and is the second pay rise for Aldi teams this year. The supermarket’s new rates exceed those of all other supermarkets in the UK, including Lidl, Tesco, M&S and Waitrose.

Aldi is also the only major supermarket to offer paid breaks to all colleagues — a benefit worth approximately £1,500 per year to the average store colleague.

It comes after an announcement in January of enhanced pay rates and extended maternity pay to 26 weeks at full pay.

Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer of Aldi UK and Ireland, said: “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.

“We’ve invested over £42 million in colleague pay this year because we know that every single member of Team Aldi is fundamental to our success and deserves nothing less.”

Aldi employs more than 45,000 colleagues across the UK and continues to expand rapidly, with plans to open 40 new stores in 2026 as part of a £370 million investment programme.

The supermarket is also investing an additional £300 million in upgrading and extending existing stores, reinforcing its position as one of Britain’s fastest-growing food retailers.

Aldi has built a reputation for offering some of the highest-paid graduate jobs in the country.

The German discount retailer pays graduates more than many traditional corporate schemes, with starting salaries of more than £50,000 and the potential to reach close to £100,000 within a decade.