Sainsbury’s has announced a £25 million investment in a wide-ranging cost of living support package for hourly paid colleagues to support them with rising household costs, £20 million of which will be invested in a pay increase.
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For the first time, colleagues will receive an Autumn pay increase outside of the annual pay review, in an unprecedented step to support colleagues when they need it most.
Sainsbury’s and Argos hourly retail colleague pay will go from £10.00 to £10.25 and from £11.05 to £11.30 per hour in London, which means all these colleagues will have had at least two pay rises this year to reflect the current challenges households are facing.
It will bring investment into colleague pay this year to £150 million and demonstrates Sainsbury’s commitment to being a leading employer. It takes the pay increase for frontline, hourly paid colleagues to 7.9% this year and 28% over five years.
The new support package will also give colleagues access to basic food items during shifts from the first week in October until the end of December and increased discounts at Sainsbury’s and Argos.
The free food will ensure that colleagues can have something to eat while they are at work and the longer and deeper discounts will help colleagues plan and manage their budgets through the Autumn and in the run up to Christmas.
The new pay rates will be effective from 16th October and it is expected that 127,000 hourly paid colleagues across retail, local fulfilment centres and customer service contact centres will benefit.
The additional increase will not affect the timing of the next annual pay review, which will go ahead in the new financial year.
Sainsbury’s continues to help customers as well as colleagues with the cost of living crisis, with its biggest ever September price investment of £65 million.
This is part of Sainsbury’s two-year plan to invest £500 million in low prices by March 2023, supported by an ambitious cost saving programme that enables Sainsbury’s to reinvest where it matters most.
As outlined at Sainsbury’s preliminary results in April1, while the investment in supporting customers and colleagues with the cost of living will mean lower profits this year compared to last year, focusing on support for customers and colleagues has to be the priority in the current circumstances. ■