Major UK supermarkets bringing in new £13 rule

Many of Britain’s leading supermarkets are poised to introduce a new £13 “rule” commencing next month. It will provide support for thousands of employees amid challenging economic conditions.

From April 1, retailers including Aldi, Tesco, and Marks and Spencer will be raising their hourly wages to inflation-beating levels. In every case, rates are expected to climb to over £13 both nationally and within London. This precedes the forthcoming National Living Wage increase that is set to reach £12.21 per hour for workers aged 21 years and above.

Also taking effect from April 1, it means that numerous UK supermarket staff will be receiving more than the government’s recommended rate.

And many aren’t simply raising wages, as some have invested millions of pounds into their employment packages to provide all staff with a variety of benefits, such as enhanced maternity and paternity leave, alongside exclusive in-store discounts.

Whilst the change will see Aldi maintain its position as the highest paying supermarket in the UK, several others are close behind.
As reported by the Daily Record, here are all of the supermarket wage increases that have (thus far) been confirmed to take effect from next month.

Lidl

Lidl was the first supermarket to implement the pay rise this year, impacting all of the retailer’s 35,000 hourly-paid staff from March 1. The change has lifted entry-level wages to £13.45 nationally, progressing to £14.45 with tenure. In London, rates have risen from £14.35 to £14.80, climbing further to £15.30 with length of service.

This represents the seventh successive wage increase for Lidl employees since 2023 and forms part of the German discounter’s £29million commitment to its employment package which has also doubled paternity leave.

Aldi

Aldi is preparing to enhance its hourly wages for 28,000 hourly-paid store assistants from April 1 – establishing them as the highest paying supermarket in the UK.

Surpassing its German competitor, the discounter will raise its pay to £13.50 nationally and £14.88 inside the M25. These can subsequently increase to £14.47 and £15.20 respectively with tenure.

Furthermore, as part of the supermarket’s £42million commitment to colleague remuneration, maternity pay has been extended to 26 weeks on full pay. Meanwhile, Aldi also remains the only supermarket to provide paid breaks, which amounts to £1,500 annually for the average store assistant.

M&S

As part of a substantial £70million commitment, Marks and Spencer will also be raising its hourly pay for 55,000 UK store assistants by 6.4% in an “inflation beating award”. Taking effect from April 1, the retailer will raise its pay to a minimum of £13.41, representing an additional £132 monthly and £1,587 annually compared to 2025. Meanwhile, customer assistants working within the M25 will see their rate increase to £14.74.

This will not only surpass current inflation rates, which dropped to 3% in January 2026, but will position Marks and Spencer as the third highest paying UK supermarket, behind Aldi and Lidl.

Tesco

According to the Workers Union, Tesco shop workers should see their hourly wage increase to approximately £13.35 throughout the UK. Meanwhile, London-based staff could witness their salaries rise to around £14.71.

The supermarket typically raises its wages on an annual basis, with the most recent revised pay structure expected to commence from the first pay period following March. This means Tesco employees, who are paid every four weeks, should observe the change in their April wages, although this timing may differ depending on individual payroll schedules.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s has likewise introduced a “sector leading” 5% rise for the salaries of thousands of store assistants this month.

The inflation-beating pay has lifted rates to £13.23 hourly nationally and £14.54 hourly in London, amounting to an extra £1,200 annually.

It marks the fifth successive pay increase for hourly paid Sainsbury’s staff, representing a 42% rise over the past five years.

According to the supermarket, its new £13 rule “builds on several years of significant investment in colleague pay, reinforcing our strong leadership position in the sector”. Further elements of its benefits package include a pension scheme, share-save scheme, complimentary food during shifts and discounts enabling colleagues to save over £600 annually on an £80 weekly shop.