A SUPERMARKET chain has recognised the 'amazing contribution' of staff by giving them a New Year's pay rise.

All of Aldi’s 1,000 Welsh Store Assistant colleagues will benefit from the pay rise, with Aldi paying a minimum hourly rate of £9.55, up from £9.40.

The supermarket will be increasing its minimum hourly rates from 1 February 2021

The new rates of pay are also boosted by the fact Aldi is still one of the only UK supermarkets to pay for breaks taken during shifts, which means Aldi colleagues 'remain the best-paid in the sector'.

When paid breaks are included, Aldi’s minimum hourly pay rate for store colleagues, based on an average six-hour shift, will be £10.11.

These changes mean that Aldi store colleagues across Wales will earn a minimum of £0.83 more per hour than the current National Living Wage.

The pay rise follows bonuses that were awarded to store colleagues in April and December 2020, in recognition of their efforts throughout the pandemic.

Giles Hurley, Chief Executive Officer, Aldi UK and Ireland said: “I want to express my sincere thanks to every single Aldi colleague, who stepped up when it mattered and helped us succeed in our most important mission of all – feeding the nation. That is down to our people.

"Their outstanding efforts have ensured that our customers continue to have access to fresh affordable food, every single day. It has never been more important to ensure that our colleagues are rewarded fully for their immense contribution during a challenging period for everyone.”

Aldi now has over 50 stores throughout Wales and is working towards a long-term target of 1,200 stores across the UK by 2025.

To support this growth, Aldi is recruiting 207 store-level positions in Wales this year. For the latest vacancies, please visit https://www.aldirecruitment.co.uk/.