Overview
- From 1 April, store assistants will earn £13.50 per hour nationally and £14.88 inside the M25, rising to £14.47 and £15.20 with length of service.
- The change applies to about 28,000 hourly paid staff and is Aldi’s second rise of 2026, taking its pay investment this year to £42 million.
- Lidl’s 1 March uplift sets rates at £13.45 nationally and £14.80 in London, with higher tiers for service, leaving Aldi narrowly ahead.
- Other grocers have announced spring 2026 increases, including Sainsbury’s at £13.23 nationally and Waitrose/John Lewis at £13.25, with higher London rates.
- The moves coincide with the National Living Wage rising on 1 April to £12.71 for eligible workers, while Aldi points to paid breaks and 26-week full-pay maternity as standout benefits.