Co-op announces Real Living Wage staff pay rise
From 1 April, the rate of pay for Co-op customer team members will increase from £10.90 to £12 per hour, representing a 10.1% increase on last year
Co-op has announced a pay increase to at least £12 per hour for store colleagues, in line with the Real Living Wage.
The move represents the retailer’s biggest ever investment into pay with an increase of over 20% in the last two years for staff.
From 1 April, the rate of pay for Co-op customer team members will increase from £10.90 to £12 per hour, representing a 10.1% increase on last year and a 21% increase since March 2022.
For Co-op customer team members working in London, the hourly rate will increase from £12.25 to £13.15. Meanwhile, Co-op team leaders will also receive a 10.1% increase from £12.10 to £13.32 per hour.
Matt Hood, MD of Co-op Food, said: “Our store colleagues are the heart of our member-owned business and we truly value their dedication and hard work. We’re proud to continue to be aligned to the Real Living Wage, which makes Co-op one of the top food retailers in terms of pay.
“Co-op continues to operate in challenging environments and volatile markets, some of which we have only recently stabilised. However, we believe this investment in our colleagues is of paramount importance to recognise their outstanding commitment to serving our Member-owners and shoppers in communities all across the UK.”
He added: “Additionally, we continue to offer a competitive package to all our colleagues compared to other retailers, including paid breaks, 30% own brand colleague discount and industry-leading leave policies.”
Jayne Allport, national officer at USDAW, said: “We are pleased to have negotiated this significant pay rise, which is a big help for our members struggling in the ongoing cost of living crisis and recognises their important contribution to the success of the business.”
