Marks & Spencer has followed rival retailer Sainsbury's in awarding its staff a second pay rise this year.
M&S is bumping its minimum hourly wage to £10.20 from October 1, following a rise from £9.50 to £10 in April. Non-management staff at M&S will also be given a £250 food voucher as part of the support package to address cost of living concerns. Workers at its distribution centre are also set to receive one free meal per shift.
Stuart Machin, chief executive at Marks & Spencer, said: “Whether you’re running a home or running a business, everyone across the country is feeling the pressure of rising costs.
Read more: Sainsbury's and Argos staff get another pay rise
“We want to do what we can to help ease some of that strain; that is why we have invested in price to deliver better value for our customers, and why we are investing in our colleague base pay for the second time this year.
“Our colleagues are our biggest asset, and we want to ensure they are fully supported and rewarded for the remarkable contribution they make to M&S.”
Staff at M&S are entitled to a number of benefits, including free everyday food items and sanitary products all-year round, the firm said.
Earlier this month, Sainsbury's confirmed it is also boosting supermarket and Argos staff pay for 127,000 and giving free food to workers during shifts.
The UK’s consumer price inflation rate hit 9.9% in August and economists warn it could climb higher this year.
Graham Bennett, chair of M&S’s National Business Involvement Group, said “Cost of living is the most talked about issue amongst our colleagues and we very much welcome the package of support from M&S.
“We are pleased our leadership team has listened to colleagues and responded, and we will continue to work closely with them as we head into what is the busiest time of year for retail.”
It is the first time that M&S has introduced an additional autumn pay review as cost concerns have become front of mind for employees, the company said.
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