Aldi has raised wages for its employees, claiming it is now the highest paying supermarket in the UK.

From 1st April, store employees will earn £13.50 per hour nationally and £14.88 inside the M25, rising to £14.47 and £15.20 respectively based on length of service.

The discounter said the increase will benefit over 28,000 hourly-paid store employees.

Aldi added that it is the only major supermarket to offer paid breaks to all employees, which it said is worth approximately £1,500 per year.

This is the second pay rise for Aldi teams this year and follows an announcement Aldi made in January.

Aldi said these pay increases combined represent a £42 million investment in employee pay in 2026 alone, underlining the supermarket’s aim to lead pay in the industry.

"Our colleagues work incredibly hard to deliver exceptional value for our customers, and we're rewarding that dedication with the highest pay in the sector,” said Giles Hurley, chief executive officer of Aldi UK and Ireland. “We’ve invested over £42 million in colleague pay this year because we know that every single member of Team Aldi is fundamental to our success and deserve nothing less.”

Other supermarkets have also announced pay rises for their instore employees including Sainsburys, which said last month that it will increase wages for hourly paid employees by five per cent.

Hourly pay will increase to £13.23 per hour nationally and £14.54 per hour in London from March 2026. The move will result in a pay increase of over £1,200 a year for full-time hourly-paid workers.

Sainsburys said that the above inflation pay rise reflects the “exceptional contribution” of their employees.

Earlier this month, Lidl announced an investment of £29 million in employee pay which will affect around 35,000 workers across the country.

From 1st March, entry-level hourly pay will rise to £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.

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