Supermarket pay packets are shifting again, and the change is small on paper yet big in message for frontline staff.
From 1 September, Aldi will lift its base hourly rate for store assistants, nudging ahead of rivals and reshaping the race to hire.
What changes on 1 September
Aldi will pay at least £13.02 an hour to hourly paid store assistants from the start of September. The figure rises to £13.95 an hour for colleagues with longer service. The move follows Lidl’s uplift to £13.00 an hour, announced in mid-August for September.
From 1 September, Aldi’s base rate reaches £13.02 an hour, rising to £13.95 with length of service.
The supermarket says it wants to keep its position at the top of the sector pay table. It also maintains paid breaks for all colleagues, a benefit it says rivals do not offer.
Aldi remains the only major grocer paying for breaks, worth about £1,425 a year to a typical store colleague.
Why 2p matters to pay packets
A 2p gap per hour sounds slender. It still sets a clear marker in a market where perception influences recruitment. Over a standard 37.5-hour week, the difference against £13.00 comes to 75p. That’s £39 a year before tax if you work every week of the year. The larger boost sits in paid breaks and the higher progression rate.
How the numbers stack up
| Scenario | Hourly rate | Weekly pay at 37.5h | Annual pay (52 weeks) | Difference vs £13.00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Competitor base | £13.00 | £487.50 | £25,350 | — |
| Aldi base | £13.02 | £488.25 | £25,389 | +£39/year |
| Aldi length of service | £13.95 | £523.13 | £27,203 | +£1,853/year |
The service-linked rate shows where earnings can move for those who stay on. Paid breaks compound the picture. If breaks equate to around £1,425 a year, the benefit can outweigh a modest hourly gap between supermarkets.
Who benefits and where
Aldi has confirmed the uplift for hourly paid store colleagues, with figures already briefed to teams in areas such as Merseyside. Store assistants across the UK should see the new base rate from the first shift that falls on or after 1 September, depending on payroll cycles.
Part-time colleagues benefit pro rata. Overtime remains subject to local arrangements and store needs. New starters begin at the base rate and can progress to the longer-service rate after meeting company criteria.
The competitive backdrop
Lidl’s move to £13.00 triggered Aldi’s decision to add the 2p edge. Both chains continue to chase the same pool of experienced store workers at a time of stubborn vacancies. Wage rates have become a headline battleground, alongside predictable rotas and guaranteed hours.
Other large grocers track these moves closely. Some have matched regionally, while others use supplements for high-cost areas. The trend points to a steady ratchet upwards for in-store pay, even as food price inflation eases.
Hiring push and store expansion
Pay isn’t moving in isolation. Aldi is recruiting at pace, offering both full-time and part-time roles. The chain also plans new stores as part of a £650 million programme this year, and it expects to refurbish 35 existing sites before year-end. It has said 23 locations are due fresh openings, with 10 already named.
New stores confirmed for 2025
- Fulham Broadway
- Shoreditch
- Eastbourne, East Sussex
- Waterbrook, Kent
- Langley Moor Meadowfield, Durham
- Deeside and Treharris, Wales
- Market Harborough, Leicestershire
- Tyne and Wear
- Pendle Drive, Sefton, Liverpool
- Chesterfield
New sites need store assistants, shift leaders and managers. Opening teams often receive extra hours during launch weeks, which can help new hires lift earnings while they settle into a rota.
What you can do now
- Check your next rota and payslip dates so you can see when the £13.02 rate first appears.
- Confirm your recorded length of service if you are close to moving to £13.95 an hour.
- Track your paid breaks on timesheets so the value shows clearly on your wage record.
- Compare benefits besides pay, such as pension matching, sick pay and staff discounts, before switching employer.
The wider picture for supermarket wages
The National Living Wage continues to shape the lower bound for rates. Discount chains sit above that level as they compete for experienced teams to run lean formats. A small hourly difference sends a signal to candidates who can move quickly between stores within the same town.
Retailers also watch productivity. Self-scan, streamlined ranges and better backroom systems let stores carry higher pay without losing ground on price. Aldi’s paid breaks policy reflects a package approach rather than a single headline rate. The combination of base pay, progression and a break allowance can move annual earnings more than a minor hourly tweak alone.
Worked examples for take-home planning
A part-time colleague on 20 hours a week at £13.02 earns £260.40 before tax each week. Against £13.00, that’s 40p more per week, or about £20.80 a year. If they receive paid breaks worth the typical amount, the extra benefit dwarfs the hourly difference.
A full-time colleague on 37.5 hours at the service rate of £13.95 would gross about £27,203 a year before tax and pension. That figure rises further if overtime is available during new-store openings or seasonal peaks.
What to watch next
Pay rounds often cluster before October as supermarkets prepare for the peak trading season. Candidates can expect more adverts to quote concrete hourly figures and break policies up front. If rival chains lift again, Aldi may adjust to hold its lead, keeping that 2p edge—or more—alive through winter.
Does the £1,425 in paid breaks apply pro rata for part‑time staff, and is it auto‑included on payslips or itemised seperately?
A whole 2p? My coffee fund is trembling.