18 September 2015

Lidl has joined ikea in committing to pay its UK staff the living wage

From October UK employees will earn a minimum of £8.20 an hour across England, Scotland and Wales, and £9.35 an hour in London.

The move means Lidl will join Ikea in being one of the biggest UK employers to pay its staff the real living wage – well above Osborne’s “living wage”.

The supermarket, which is German owned, said the pay rise amounts to an average of £1,200 per year for staff, and will cost the company £9m.

Ronny Gottschlich, Lidl UK’s chief executive, said: “It’s only right that we show our commitment, in the same way that the team commit to the business and our customers each and every day, by ensuring a wage that supports the cost of living. As a result, Lidl employees will be among the best paid in the supermarket sector, and that’s something I feel incredibly proud about.”

More than half of Lidl’s 17,000 UK workers would benefit from the pay increase which will cover employees of all ages, unlike Osborne’s scheme which only applies to workers over 25.