"Aldi introduces wages higher than the 'real living wage' after supermarket has a record year", 24 January 2019

Aldi has increased its hourly rates of pay for staff after breaking the £12bn sales barrier for the first time...

The German discounter has again touted itself as the UK’s best-paying supermarket after it increased wages for all employees. The company said all store assistants will from February earn £9.10 per hour outside the M25, and £10.55 in London. Interestingly, Aldi said all workers are paid the same flat rate, however old they are...

Regionally, Aldi’s pay exceeds the UK’s “real living wage”, which is encouraged by the Living Wage Foundation and is more than the Government’s statutory boundaries. Many feel the Government’s rates are too low. In London, the supermarket’s new £10.55 wage matches the charity’s voluntary minimum.

... it’s worth pointing out that the company employs fewer members of staff per store than traditional supermarkets... Aldi has around 40 members of staff in each shop, while rivals require far more... The budget chain is able to make do with fewer workers thanks to its more efficient operating system – shelves don’t need stacking because food products are put up still in boxes, for example... There are numerous other cost-saving mechanisms...