Co-op is rewarding frontline staff with a more than 10% pay increase to at least £12 per hour.

The change, which is in line with the Real Living Wage, represents the convenience retailer’s biggest ever investment into pay.

From 1 April, the rate of pay for Co-op customer team members will rise from £10.90 to £12 per hour – a 10.1% increase on last year and a 21% increase since March 2022.

For team members working in London, the hourly rate will rise from £12.25 to £13.15, while Co-op team leaders will receive the same increase from £12.10 to £13.32 per hour.

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Co-op food managing director Matt Hood said: “Our store colleagues are the heart of our member-owned business and we truly value their dedication and hard work. We’re proud to continue to be aligned to the Real Living Wage, which makes Co-op one of the top food retailers in terms of pay.

“Co-op continues to operate in challenging environments and volatile markets, some of which we have only recently stabilised.

“However, we believe this investment in our colleagues is of paramount importance to recognise their outstanding commitment to serving our Member-owners and shoppers in communities all across the UK.”

It comes as other leading supermarkets have updated their pay rates in the past week.

Tesco is increasing the hourly pay rate for colleagues in stores from £11.02 to £12.02 – its biggest ever single investment into pay, while Waitrose owner John Lewis Partnership is set to invest a record £116 million in boosting staff pay, increasing wages by an average of 10%.