Marks & Spencer has become the latest retailer to offer new lorry drivers a sign-on bonus in a bid to tackle the wider HGV driver shortage crisis.
The grocer revealed new drivers who join its logistics partner Gist can earn up to £5000 in incentives through a combination of a £2000 sign-on bonus and up to three additional retention payments.
According to M&S, its drivers can also benefit from discounts and a “generous” pension, as well as training and career development schemes.
READ MORE: M&S release children’s book on sustainability
The news follows Big 4 grocer Tesco recently announcing a £1000 joining bonus to lorry drivers who join the company before the end of September.
The payment, which applies to new starters who join the company from July 14 until September 30, is featured on various advertisements for HGV driver roles on the Big 4 grocers website.
The shortages of HGV drivers have also resulted in the bosses of some of the UK’s biggest supermarkets urging customers not to panic buy in response to reports of emptying shelves, saying they are “continuing to receive regular deliveries”.
The supermarkets have described any shortages across their stores as “patchy” but said there was no need for customers to change their shopping habits.
The so-called “pingdemic” is also thought to be affecting driver shortages.
As a result, the UK government has since introduced emergency measures that it says will protect food supplies, allowing thousands of workers, including drivers, to avoid the need to self-isolate if identified as a contact of a Covid case.
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