`Introduction
Sainsbury’s, one of the UK’s leading supermarket chains, has announced a major pay rise for its employees in 2025—a move that impacts over 118,000 hourly-paid staff across both Sainsbury’s and Argos. With the cost of living still high and inflation lingering, this increase is more than just a raise—it’s a message of support to essential workers.
In this blog post, we’ll explore everything you need to know about the Sainsbury’s 2025 pay increase, including the timeline, comparison with other supermarkets, and what it means for current and future employees.
💷 What Is the Sainsbury’s Pay Raise in 2025?
Sainsbury’s announced a 5% pay rise for hourly-paid staff, split into two stages throughout the year:
| 📅 Date |
Outside London |
London-based Pay |
| March 2025 |
£12.00 → £12.45/hr |
£13.15 → £13.70/hr |
| August 2025 |
£12.45 → £12.60/hr |
£13.70 → £13.85/hr |
🧾 Annual Impact
For a full-time employee (37.5 hours/week):
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Outside London: Salary increases from ~£22,882 to £24,026/year
-
London: Salary climbs from ~£25,642 to £27,029/year
📈 Why Is Sainsbury’s Raising Wages?
There are several strategic reasons behind the decision:
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Stay Competitive: Sainsbury’s aims to keep pace with or surpass competitors like Aldi, Lidl, and Tesco.
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Support Workers: With food and energy costs still high, employees need financial breathing room.
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Reward Performance: Following strong 2024 performance—including +4.1% growth in grocery sales—Sainsbury’s is giving back.
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Meet Living Wage: The new rates align with or exceed the new National Living Wage (£12.21/hr) starting in April 2025.
💬 “By August, Sainsbury’s will have raised pay by 58% since 2018,” says retail analyst Toby Pickard.
🥇 How Does Sainsbury’s Compare to Other Supermarkets?
Here’s how Sainsbury’s wages stack up in 2025 against major rivals:
| Supermarket |
Hourly Pay Range (Outside–London) |
| Sainsbury’s |
£12.00 → £12.60 / £13.15 → £13.85 |
| Tesco |
£12.45 → £12.64 / up to £14.36 |
| Aldi |
£12.75 – £14.35 |
| Lidl |
£12.75 – £14.35 |
| M&S |
£12.00 → £12.60 / £13.15 → £13.85 |
✅ Takeaway: Sainsbury’s sits comfortably near the top, especially with steady increases and a two-stage plan.
👥 Who Benefits from the 2025 Pay Increase?
This raise impacts:
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Frontline supermarket workers
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Warehouse and logistics staff
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Argos store employees
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Part-time and full-time hourly staff
Total affected: ~118,000 workers.
According to Usdaw (the workers' union):
“We welcome this increase as a positive move toward fairer wages across retail.”
📊 Graph: 2018–2025 Sainsbury’s Pay Progression
Here's a visual of the pay journey:
Here is the graph showing
Sainsbury’s Hourly Wage Growth from 2018 to 2025.
🔮 What to Expect Next
Sainsbury’s has taken steps to:
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Improve retention by increasing staff satisfaction
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Reduce turnover in stores and warehouses
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Maintain its brand image as a worker-first retailer
Going forward, we may see:
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More training programs and career pathing
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Further raises in 2026 depending on inflation trends
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Higher demand for positions due to better pay than many competitors
🧠 Final Thoughts: Is Sainsbury’s the Best Grocery Employer in 2025?
Sainsbury’s may not always lead on absolute highest wages (Aldi slightly edges ahead), but its balanced approach, multi-stage increase, and commitment to beating the National Living Wage make it one of the best-paying and most stable employers in the UK grocery industry right now.
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🔍 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Will the pay increase apply to part-time workers?
Yes, it applies to all hourly-paid workers, whether part-time or full-time.
Q: Will bonuses still be available?
Yes, bonuses and holiday pay are not affected by this raise.
Q: What’s the next expected raise after 2025?
While nothing is confirmed, Sainsbury’s has been consistently raising pay annually, so we may see another bump in early 2026 depending on inflation and performance.
📢 Share Your Thoughts
Are you a Sainsbury’s employee? How has the raise impacted your work life?
Leave a comment below or share your story—we’d love to hear from you!
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