Supermarkets Implement £13 Rule, Impacting Tesco and M&S

Mo. Basuony

Published: March 18, 2026 9:58 AM ET

Supermarkets Implement £13 Rule, Impacting Tesco and M&S

Seven major UK supermarket chains are raising hourly pay for shop staff this spring. The moves come amid the ongoing cost of living crisis and follow increases to legal and living wage benchmarks.

Wage benchmarks and timing

The statutory minimum wage will rise to £12.71 per hour in April 2026. The Real Living Wage, set by the Living Wage Foundation, currently stands at £13.45.

Many retailers are acting ahead of, or alongside, those changes. Supermarkets Implement £13 Rule, Impacting Tesco and M&S, as several chains set entry-level rates around or above £13.

What each retailer announced

Aldi

Aldi confirmed a second pay rise for shop staff since the start of the year. From April, store assistants will be paid £13.50 per hour, with London rates at £14.88 and increases based on tenure.

The rise will cover about 28,000 team members. Aldi said the change supports its UK expansion and rewards front-line staff.

Lidl

Lidl will invest an extra £29 million in staff pay. From 1 March, its national starting wage rises to £13.45 per hour, increasing with tenure to £14.45.

London starters will move from £14.35 to £14.80, rising to £15.30 with service. The increase affects roughly 35,000 employees and brings Lidl in line with both Real and London Living Wage levels.

Tesco

Tesco plans a sector-wide pay boost for retail staff in March 2026. More than 300,000 employees are expected to benefit.

Workers’ representatives estimate shop floor pay will reach about £13.35 nationally, and roughly £14.71 in London.

M&S

Marks & Spencer will raise retail pay from 1 April. National pay moves from £12.60 to £13.41 per hour, while London pay rises from £13.85 to £14.74.

About 55,000 UK staff will be affected by the change.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s confirmed pay increases from March 2026. National hourly rates will reach £13.23, and London rates will rise to £14.54.

The company said full-time hourly workers will see annual earnings rise by more than £1,200, alongside other benefits. Company leaders highlighted colleagues’ role in recent market gains, while union representatives welcomed the above-inflation rise.

Asda

Asda implemented pay increases in October 2025. National pay moved to £12.60 per hour and £13.82 for London staff, affecting around 115,000 employees.

The retailer said it has invested more than £500 million in retail pay over the past four years. It also noted enhancements to colleague discounts and family-friendly policies.