With independent operators struggling to recruit and retain staff, many national hospitality and retail brands continue to increase rates of pay, further increasing the recruitment challenges.

Pret A Manger has announced plans to increase pay to more than £10 per hour for thousands of staff members, following the lead of other retailers and supermarkets.

The sandwich chain will invest more than £9.2m in staff pay, its biggest pay and benefits increase in its 36-year history.

From 1 April 2022, basic pay rates will increase from between £9.40 and £9.56 to between £9.80 and £10.15 per hour, with baristas being paid more. That means at least 6,900 of its more than 8,500 staff will be paid over £10 per hour.

Pret said its mystery shopper bonus scheme will also be boosted from an additional £1 an hour, to £1.25. Under the scheme Pret outlets are visited, rated and staff are rewarded according to the standard of service, products and cleanliness they're providing.
With the mystery shopper bonus included, team member pay could be as high as between £11.05 and £11.40 per hour.

This is the second time Pret has raised pay for UK shop team members – in September 2020 they raised pay by 5%. Pret said the changes recognise the “resilience, hard work and dedication” of Pret’s shop teams through the pandemic.

Several other retailers have boosted staff pay already as they struggle to hire and retain workers. Supermarkets Sainsbury's, Aldi and Morrison's all recently increased their minimum hourly pay to £10.