Supermarket giant Sainsbury’s has revealed it will roll out a £25 million package this autumn to help ensure its lowest-paid workers can afford to eat and pay their bills this winter.
From the beginning of October, 127,000 workers will see their hourly pay rise by 25p to £10.25, whilst in London the rate of pay will increase from £11.05 to £11.30.
It is the second pay rise staff will have received from the company in a year, following on from a 5% increase this spring.
As well as increasing staff pay, the company has also announced it will see store workers given free food during their shifts, with £5m set aside to provide toast, soup and porridge in staff rooms.
Colleagues will also see theirin-store discounts raised from 10% at Sainsbury’s and partner store Argo’s, to 15% and 20% come Christmas time.
Between the move to better support staff, and a two-year plan to try and keep prices low for consumers, the company has made the decision for profits to take a hit.
Simon Roberts, Chief Executive of Sainsbury’s, said: “Every day I am hearing from colleagues who are really feeling the pressures of the rising cost of living,
“That’s why we are doing everything we can to help our colleagues as they face rising bills and living costs this autumn. This is the first time we have given two pay rises in the same year.”
“We had a debate over whether we should leave this until next year or bring forward some of this now, given the challenges of the autumn and winter ahead,
““We have 127,000 people that get up every day, often in the middle of the night, to get our stores and operations ready for customers. We need to support them as we go into this winter period. Therefore we made the choice to bring forward this pay increase to now.”
Sainsbury’s is not the only company choosing to sacrifice profit in order to ensure its staff can afford to eat and heat their homes this winter.
Employee-owned company John Lewis has revealed this morning that it is “forgoing profit” to help its partners and employees through the winter.
Dame Sharon White, the partnership’s chairman, said: “No one could have predicted the scale of the cost-of-living crisis that has materialised, with energy prices and inflation rising ahead of anyone’s expectations.
“As a business, we have faced unprecedented cost inflation across grocery and general merchandise.”
She added: “We are responding to the cost of living crisis by supporting those who need it and by stepping up our efficiency programme.
“We are forgoing profit by making choices based on the sort of business we are, led by our Purpose – Working In Partnership For A Happier World – by helping our Partners, customers, communities and suppliers.”
Meanwhile, Parliament has been suspended until Wednesday 21 September, the day before a further suspension is due to allow party conferences to take place.
The official government petitions website has also been frozen “until further notice” preventing people from sigining existing campaigns or creating new petitions for consideration in the House of Commons.
Feature image – Sainsbury’s
News
Ancoats bar Sammy’s closes after ‘online smear campaign’
Daisy Jackson
A popular late-night bar in Ancoats has announced its official closure after several months of silence.
Sammy’s Bar, which was styled as a retro 70’s diner and stayed open into the early hours, has said the bar ‘is officially no longer’.
In a statement shared on the bar’s Instagram stories, founder Sammy Shonn said that there was been an ‘online smear campaign’ and has decided to sell the bar ‘for my own mental wellbeing’.
The account, and the bar itself, will now be transferred to new owners.
Sammy’s opened in 2019 and was a popular, hidden-bar-style spot for late-night cocktails and DJs.
Their full statement reads: “It’s with regret that I inform you Sammy’s is officially no longer.
“Whilst I vehemently maintain my total innocence against all of the hurtful allegations made against me and my character in a recent online smear campaign, for my own mental wellbeing, I’ve made the difficult decision to sell the bar, along with all its associated assets, including this social media account.
“Thank you to everyone for your custom, your love and your support since 2019.
“Together we created something special. I am now transferring this account to the new owners, who I am sure will post something shortly regarding their plans.”
A petition has been created to make Prestwich’s Oasis-inspired ‘Aldeh’ sign permanent
Danny Jones
We love how Greater Manchester, the UK and, indeed, the whole world have been gripped by Oasis fever – even brands like Aldi, who recently renamed one of their local shops ‘Aldeh’ in honour of Oasis and Manc accents everywhere; in fact, there’s even a petition to make it permanent.
And it’s already starting to gather some steam…
That’s right, the Aldi in Prestwich – or ‘Aldeh’ as we shall hopefully refer to it from now until forever – has seen not just local shoppers in and around Bury, but Oasis fans and even just curious Mancunians visit the location to see it for themselves.
In case this silly but oddly satisfying bit of news somehow passed you by, here it is in all its (What’s the Story?) Morning Glory:
A slightly caricatured and over-the-top impersonation of the most Gallagher-esque voice ever? Maybe. Fun to record? Definitely Maybe.
The sign itself has stood outside the branch located near Heaton Park for just over a fortnight now in honour of the Live ’25 reunion gigs and has drawn plenty of attention.
As described by the creator of the petition, Ella Curtis – a Manchester native herself – “photos of the sign went viral, because it tapped into something meaningful: pride in where we’re from, and in what this city has given the world. In short, Prestwich got its own Blue Plaque.”
Simply entitled, ‘Make “Aldeh” Permanent: A Tribute to Manchester’s Musical Legacy’, you can find a lengthy and surprisingly inspiring explanation detailing why the petition matters down below.
“1. A Tribute to Manchester’s Cultural Legacy
Manchester’s contribution to music – and to British culture more broadly – is unmatched. Oasis gave the world BritPop and helped define a generation. The ‘Aldeh’ sign reflects that heritage in a way that feels authentic, local, and proud.
2. A Source of Local Pride
As a proud Mancunian, I’ve seen the reaction firsthand. The sign has brought a real sense of community, joy, and identity to the area. People stop to take pictures, to smile, to talk. In a time when towns often struggle to feel distinctive, this simple change has sparked something genuinely positive.
3. A Cultural Landmark in the Making
In just a short time, the sign has become a local attraction and even a landmark – a destination for fans. It is a symbol and reminder of how we, as Mancunians all came together to celebrate one of the biggest reunion concerts from one of the world’s biggest bands happening right on our doorstep!
The ‘Aldeh‘ sign might have started as a temporary campaign, but it’s come to mean something more – to this city, to its people, and to anyone who recognises the power of music and place.”
Of course we’ve signed it. (Credit: Screenshot via Change.org)
Already listed on Google as a ‘cultural landmark’, even boasting 5-star reviews, Aldi themselves have responded by saying: “Boss said we also need 10,000 likes and a comment from one of the Gallaghers.”
It’s your time to shine, folks – we’ll worry about the two later.
The ‘Aldeh’ petition page ends with a simple but moving message: “Sign if you agree – let’s make ‘Aldeh’ a lasting part of Manchester’s story.”
Listen, it’s very rare that you see a city, a country and arguably the entire world taken over by a collective obsession and unified love of music and art; with that in mind, you best believe we’re right behind this.
And if you fancy tacking the ‘Aldeh’ sign onto a tour of important Oasis heritage sights in 0161, then look no further.
Georgina Pellant -
15th September 2022 
