Asda announces 10% pay rise for hourly-paid store workers

Supermarket giant Asda has announced a 10% pay increase for its hourly-paid store workers.

Rates will rise to £11 an hour from April and £11.11 from July.

The company said it is investing a record £141 million this year to boost hourly pay rates for more than 115,000 staff who work across its 633 stores.

This follows an 8% pay increase for hourly-paid retail workers during 2022.

In addition, all eligible hourly-paid store staff who have been with Asda for more than three months will receive a bonus payment for 2022.

The new rates of pay are higher than the Government’s National Living Wage and the voluntary Real Living Wage recommended by the Living Wage Foundation.

Mohsin Issa, Asda’s co-owner, said: “We appreciate the great job that our store colleagues do representing Asda while serving customers day in and day out.

“We know that rising living costs are affecting customers and colleagues alike and recognise we have a responsibility to support them during these challenging times.

“This is why we have made a record investment of £141 million to increase pay for retail colleagues by 10% this year.”

Asda said it was stepping up its support for families with the launch of a partnership with Quaker Oats to offer children a free warm breakfast in any of its 205 cafes during the February half term holidays.

Raymond Neal of the shop workers’ union Usdaw said: “In the course of our ongoing negotiations with Asda, we raised the significant pressures our members face because of the cost-of-living crisis.

“So we are pleased to have secured a significant increase that will make Asda the top-paying supermarket from July and takes staff beyond the real living wage.

“It’s been a tough time for retail staff, too many are struggling with rapidly rising prices, energy and fuel costs. Shopworkers provide the essential service of keeping the nation fed and deserve our support, respect and appreciation. Most of all, they deserve decent pay and this deal is a welcome boost.”