Sainsbury's to raise salaries

10 January 2021 - Sainsbury's announced it will up its basic rate from £9.50 an hour to £10 across its Sainsbury's and Argos stores. Outer London stores will see an increase from 9.75 to 10.50, and inner London store staff will increase their pay to 11.05 an hour. Simon Roberts, Sainsbury's CEO, says these increases reflect its progress on its saving plan.

The increases make Sainsbury's the 4th UK supermarket after Aldi Lidl and Morrison's to increase its basic rate above the real living wage. Lidl and Aldi will offer the highest wage rates from February and March, respectively, at £10.10 an hour. Additionally, Lidl will increase experienced workers rates to £11.40 an hour. 

Data available suggested Tesco is currently paying £9.55 an hour, Waitrose and Co-op pay £9.50, with Asda paying less at £9.18 an hour. 

On top of the pay increase, Sainsbury's is also introducing a 5% increase in staff discount on shopping at Argos, Sainsbury's, and Habitat, temporarily for five days after each payday. The usual staff discount of 10% will be increased to 15% on payday and last five days later. 

The Real Living Wage has risen from £9.50 to £9.90 an hour, with minimum wages increasing in April 2022. The National Living Wage (Legal minimum wage for over 23-year-olds) will increase from £8.91 to £9.50 an hour. Other minimum wages will have significantly varied increase, 21-22 age bracket will gain an 82P an hour increase, while under 18s will only see a 19p an hour increase, this means that under 18s will need to work 4 hours more than 21-22 year to make the same wage. Learn more about UK minimum wages