Pay rise 2025: highest paying jobs at UK retailers in 2025 revealed - including Asda, Tesco, Aldi, and Lidl
UK retailers are raising the bar for employee pay in 2025 đź’¸
- Major UK retailers have announced significant pay rises for employees in 2025
- Aldi leads with a minimum hourly rate of ÂŁ12.75, rising to ÂŁ14.16 in September
- Tesco, John Lewis, and Lidl also increased wages to remain competitive
- John Lewis opted for higher pay over partner bonuses, investing ÂŁ114 million
As the cost of living continues to rise across the UK, the competition among retailers to offer attractive wages has intensified.
This year, several major UK retailers have announced significant increases to their hourly pay rates, with some going above and beyond to secure their place as the best paying employers in the retail sector.
In a recent roundup by Retail Gazette, the top paying retailers of 2025 were been revealed.
Tesco is just one retailer that has made a strong statement with its latest pay rise, committing a whopping ÂŁ180 million into its people package, including an increase in pay for store colleagues across the UK.
The move follows a pattern set by other retailers, including Pets at Home and John Lewis, which also revealed pay rises earlier this month.
| Retailer | Pay (nationally) | Pay (inside M25) |
| Aldi | ÂŁ12.75/85 | ÂŁ14.05/16 |
| Lidl | ÂŁ12.75 | ÂŁ14.00 |
| B&Q | ÂŁ12.71 | ÂŁ14.05 |
| M&S | ÂŁ12.60 | ÂŁ13.85 |
| John Lewis/Waitrose | ÂŁ12.40 | ÂŁ13.85 |
| Tesco | ÂŁ12.45/64 | ÂŁ13.66/85 |
| Sainsbury’s | £12.45/60 | £13.70/85 |
| Co-Op | ÂŁ12.30/60 | ÂŁ13.85 |
| Currys | ÂŁ12.51 | ÂŁ13.51 |
| Pets at Home | ÂŁ12.21 | ÂŁ13.46 |
| Primark | ÂŁ12.48 | ÂŁ13.06 |
Aldi has long been a key player in the retail sector for offering high hourly wages, and remains committed to being "never beaten on pay".
With this in mind, the discount supermarket raised its minimum hourly rate to ÂŁ12.75 nationally and ÂŁ14.05 within the M25 at the start of March 2025.
Aldi will make a further adjustment in September, pushing the hourly rate to ÂŁ12.85 nationally and ÂŁ14.16 for employees working within the M25.
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Lidl has also raised its pay rates for its hourly-paid colleagues this year. In March, the supermarket increased the hourly rate for 28,000 employees to ÂŁ12.75 nationally, up from ÂŁ12.40.
For those with longer service, the pay increases to ÂŁ13.65, and employees working within London can expect a higher rate of ÂŁ14.35.
In a somewhat surprising move, the John Lewis Partnership chose to forgo partner bonuses this year, opting instead to invest ÂŁ114 million into increasing pay for 65,000 of its employees.
The retail giant, which owns both John Lewis and Waitrose, has set new shop floor colleague pay rates at ÂŁ12.40 outside London and ÂŁ13.85 within the M25.
Employees in specialist roles will see even higher pay, with the hourly rate increasing to ÂŁ13.39 outside London and ÂŁ14.96 within the M25.
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