HIGHEST-PAYING SUPERMARKET LIDL GB INVESTS A FURTHER £29M IN COLLEAGUE PAY AND DOUBLES PATERNITY LEAVE

• Lidl GB leads the industry as it increases entry-level hourly pay to £13.45 nationally, and £14.80 in London.
• Both salaried and hourly-paid colleagues nationwide are set to benefit from a £29m investment in pay which comes into effect from 1st March.
• Lidl will also double its paternity leave, offering one of the most competitive packages in the industry.

Lidl GB has today announced a further £29m investment in colleague pay, which will – once again - make it the highest paying UK supermarket. The changes will benefit all 35,000 colleagues, salaried and hourly paid, across the country.

Today’s news marks the seventh pay rise announcement from the discounter since 2023, as Lidl continues to invest in its colleagues. From 1st March, entry-level hourly pay will rise to an industry-leading £13.45 nationally, increasing to £14.45 with length of service. In London, hourly pay will increase from £14.35 to £14.80, rising further to £15.30 with length of service.

Lidl colleagues become the only employees within the industry to benefit from the Real Living Wage nationwide and the London Living Wage, continuing the discounter’s long-time commitment to match this benchmark.

As the UK’s fastest-growing bricks-and-mortar supermarket for over two years running, Lidl continues to expand its presence, opening hundreds of new stores and creating jobs nationwide. As the business continues to grow, rewarding colleagues fairly remains central to its approach as a responsible employer, recognising that its growth plans depend on the dedication of those who deliver every day.

Alongside pay, Lidl is also doubling paternity leave from two to four weeks’ full pay. After five years of service, colleagues will be entitled to eight weeks’ full pay, making it one of the most competitive paternity leave offers in the industry. This enhancement builds on the discounter’s existing credentials as the first supermarket to introduce 28 weeks full pay for colleagues on maternity or adoption leave. Lidl also offers paid leave for those undergoing fertility treatment and those affected by pregnancy loss.

Stephanie Rogers, Chief People Officer at Lidl GB, said: “Our colleagues are the backbone of our business, and their success is our success. This is why I couldn’t be prouder that we’re able to offer the highest wages in the industry to reward our colleagues for their incredible work. We are continuing to mark unprecedented growth across Great Britain, creating thousands more jobs along the way, while continuing to invest in our people. This also means supporting our teams during key life stages so we’re also excited to announce our latest updates to our family leave policies, including a doubling of paid paternity leave.”

Since becoming the first UK supermarket to provide a Living Wage in 2015, Lidl has remained committed to being a first-choice employer. The discounter was named DE&I Retailer of the Year at the Retail Industry Awards 2025 and recently certified as a “Top Employer” once again by the Top Employers Institute, highlighting Lidl as one of the best employers in the country.

Job seekers interested in a career a Lidl less ordinary are encouraged to visit Lidl’s careers website to check for vacancies: careers.lidl.co.uk

ENDS

Notes to Editor

About Lidl GB

Since establishing itself in Great Britain in 1994, Lidl GB has experienced continuous growth and today has over 35,000 employees, over 1,000 stores and 13 distribution centres in England, Scotland and Wales.

As part of the Schwarz retail group, Lidl is one of Europe’s leading organisations in the food retail industry. The supermarket, which has more than 382,400 employees globally, currently operates around 12,600 stores and more than 230 logistics centres and warehouses in 31 countries.

The supermarket takes pride in providing its customers with the highest quality products at the lowest possible prices throughout Great Britain, from Kirkwall to the Isle of Wight.

Social responsibility and sustainability are at the core of the company's daily operations, with the company placing a strong emphasis on its responsibility for people, society, and the environment. Lidl GB is passionate about working with British producers and sources two thirds of its products from British suppliers.

The Schwarz Group, which operates worldwide as a retail group, generated a revenue of €167.3 billion in the financial year 2024.

For more information about Lidl GB visit corporate.lidl.co.uk