BUDGET supermarket Aldi has announced it will increase its wages for all store assistants in Essex.

Bosses have revealed the minimum salary for anyone in the role will increase to £10.10 an hour from February 1.

Aldi currently offers salaries from £9.55 for its store assistants.

The increase in February will mean Aldi’s own minimum wage will be above the Living Wage Foundation’s recommended real living wage rates of £9.90 an hour.

However, store assistants working in Aldi shops based inside the M25 ring will earn more than those working in stores outside.

Speaking about the planned wage increase, Aldi UK’s chief executive Giles Hurley said: “The commitment and enthusiasm of our colleagues has driven our success over many years, particularly during the last 18 months.

“We want to ensure our colleagues are always fully rewarded for their amazing work.

“These new rates, together with the fact that we are the only supermarket to pay colleagues for breaks taken during their shifts, means we continue to offer the best pay in the supermarket sector.”

Aldi now has more than 950 stores throughout the UK and recently pledged to invest £1.3 billion over the next two years.

It has more than 2,000 roles throughout the UK that need filling, and is actively searching for store assistants in the following Essex stores:

  • Pitsea
  • Benfleet
  • Wickford
  • Southend
  • Westcliff
  • Chelmsford, Westway
  • Chelmsford, Parkway
  • Chelmsford, Springfield
  • Maldon
  • Witham
  • Harlow
  • Colchester, Stane Park

For more information, visit aldirecruitment.co.uk.