- Sector-leading increase of five per cent for hourly paid colleagues in the year ahead
- Hourly pay to increase to £13.23 per hour nationally and £14.54 per hour in London from March 2026
- Pay to increase by over £1,200 a year for full-time hourly-paid colleagues in addition to a strong benefits package
Thursday, 29 January 2026 – Sainsbury’s is proudly investing in colleagues again this year with a 5 per cent pay increase that reflects their exceptional contribution and our commitment to being a great place to work. Our colleagues are at the heart of our success and rewarding them well continues to be a priority.
This year’s 5 per cent uplift is above inflation and builds on several years of significant investment in colleague pay, reinforcing our strong leadership position in the sector. We have increased pay by 42 per cent in the last five years, demonstrating our commitment to supporting our colleagues’ wellbeing and success with competitive rates and a strong benefits package. This package includes a pension scheme, share-save scheme, free food during shifts and discounts that enable colleagues to save over £600 annually on an £80 weekly shop.
Simon Roberts, Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s, said: “Our colleagues are at the heart of our business. Their hard work, dedication and commitment have driven our strong momentum and helped us win grocery market share growth for the sixth consecutive Christmas period. I'm delighted to share that we will be raising pay for our hourly-paid colleagues by five per cent this year. This increase reflects our commitment to rewarding our colleagues for their exceptional service and productivity.”
Joanne Thomas, Usdaw General Secretary, said: “Usdaw has a longstanding and valued relationship with Sainsbury’s and we welcome today’s announcement of an above inflation pay rise. Our members are key workers in their communities and crucial to the success of the business. It is only right they are fairly rewarded for their hard work, a case that Usdaw has consistently made in pay talks with the company.”
ENDS
Offering delicious great quality food at competitive prices has been at the heart of what we do since John James and Mary Ann Sainsbury opened our first store in 1869. Today, inspiring and delighting our customers with tasty food remains our priority and our purpose is clear – we make good food joyful, accessible and affordable for everyone, every day.
Our focus on great value food and convenient shopping, whether in-store or online is supported by our brands – Argos, Nectar, Tu Clothing, Habitat, Sainsbury’s Bank and Smart Charge. Sainsbury’s has almost 600 supermarkets and over 800 convenience stores. Argos is a leading digital retailer and is the third most visited retail website in the UK, with over 70 per cent of its sales starting online. Argos is conveniently available for customers to collect from hundreds of Sainsbury’s stores. Digital and technology enables us to adapt as customers shop differently and our profitable, fast-growing online channels offer customers quick and convenient delivery and collection capability.