The UK arm of German retailer Aldi has announced that it will offer a new national minimum rate of £8.53 per hour, kicking off in February.
A total of 3,356 British employees will receive the pay increase, which maintains Aldi UK's designation as the highest-paying supermarket in the country, the companys aid.
The new rate, which will also be applied to breaks, exceeds the Living Wage Foundation's voluntary national rate of £8.45 announced in November.
London employees will earn £9.75 per hour. Apprentices will also earn similar 'market-leading' wages, although this amount wasn't specified.
Matthew Barnes, CEO for Aldi UK, commented: "We recognise the valuable contribution that our thousands of store employees make every day. Their dedication and commitment is a key reason why Aldi is the UK’s fastest-growing supermarket.
"We employ the best people in retail and invest in their training to enable them to carry out a range of different roles in store. This approach means that we can continue to provide customers with the lowest grocery prices in the UK."
Aldi UK remains committed to providing the highest wages and best benefits in the UK, Barnes said.
The retailer is currently filling 4,000 permanent roles across the UK. It will also open its 700th store next month and is expected to reach its target of 1,000 stores by 2022, the company said.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Karen Henderson. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.
