Some Tesco staff have claimed they have missed out on getting a Christmas bonus for the second year in a row, but they didn’t exactly walk away empty handed.
Instead, they were given tubs of Quality Street.
The supermarket retailer is said to have given staff a 10% Christmas bonus in 2020 as an extra thank you for all their hard work throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, and in previous years has also been known to give out shopping vouchers – but in 2022, they were said to have just had to make do with some leftover festive chocolate.
The Guardian reports that Tesco staff received a plastic tub of Quality Street chocolates that were priced at £5 in store.
One worker complained to the paper that it was the second year in a row he had received only a tub of Quality Street and not a Christmas bonus, despite his particular store taking more than £10 million in December.
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Tesco staff say they were given tubs of Quality Street instead of a Christmas bonus / Credit: Tesco
Tesco has addressed the claims by revealing that its staff discount was doubled to 20% on certain days during the run-up to Christmas, instead of offering vouchers or a cash bonus this past year.
The retailer said in a statement that it “would be wrong to suggest” chocolate replaced bonuses.
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“We have never given a regular cash bonus at Christmas and it is wrong to suggest that we have replaced one with chocolates,” Tesco said.
“To help colleagues with their Christmas shopping this year, we doubled our colleague discount to 20% in the run-up to Christmas – one of many benefits available to our colleagues, on top of the near 8% increase in base pay we invested over last year.”
The tubs of festive sweets retail at £5 / Credit: Quality Street
Tesco also said bonuses were handed to shopfloor workers in April, May, and June 2020 when stores were very busy at the height of the pandemic, as well as in December 2020 to “recognise their exceptional effort during the peak Christmas trading period”.
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The retailer has also pledged to invest £200 million into increasing its rate of pay for shopfloor staff to a minimum of £10.10.
It upped the rate again in October to a minimum of £10.30, taking their total pay rise last year to 8%.
Featured Image – Quality Street
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Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ in stores for autistic and neurodiverse customers
Emily Sergeant
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ for autistic and neurodiverse customers shopping in its stores across the UK.
Supermarket shopping isn’t always the most pleasant or manageable of experiences for everyone, especially for those who are autistic or neurodivergent – with bright lights, loud sounds, strong smells, and crowds of people making it a rather overwhelming and overstimulating atmosphere.
This is why Morrisons has decided to collaborate with the National Autistic Society to introduce dedicated ‘Sensory Support Boxes’ at its stores nationwide, as a way to both mark World Autism Acceptance Month, and help autistic and neurodivergent customers have the positive shopping experience they deserve.
These boxes have been carefully-developed in consultation with the National Autistic Society to ensure they include the most helpful items.
A range of toys like fidget balls, spinners, and squish mats can all be found inside the boxes – which will be eventually be available in all 500 Morrisons supermarkets by May – to help encourage calmness and focus.
All that customers wishing to access the items need to do is simply speak to a colleague at the customer service kiosk of their local Morrisons store.
More than one in 100 people are autistic, and there are 700,000 autistic adults and children in the UK.
Morrisons is introducing ‘sensory support boxes’ in stores for autistic and neurodiverse customers / Credit: Morrisons
Speaking on the decision to introduce the Sensory Support Boxes into UK stores, Joseph Clark-Bland, who is the Community Manager at Morrisons, said: “It’s a priority for us to ensure all Morrisons customers feel welcomed and understood.
“We’re proud to be leading the way in creating a more inclusive shopping environment for autistic people, their families and all neurodivergent people across the UK.
“World Autism Acceptance Month has been a key moment for Morrisons for many years, and we look forward to supporting even more customers via our new Sensory Boxes.”
The introduction of the Sensory Support Boxes comes after Morrisons first trialled a ‘Quieter Hour’ in some of its stores back in 2018, before rolling it out nationwide in 2024 due to its success and positive feedback.
Featured Image – Morrisons
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Greater Manchester cinemas to screen family-favourite films for just £2.50 this spring
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester cinemas will be screening family-favourite films, and some new releases, all throughout this upcoming spring holidays.
The best bit? Prices start from a massively-affordable £2.50 a ticket.
With Easter right around the corner, and schools across Greater Manchester set to be on their spring holidays in a couple of weeks time, parents and carers will likely be looking for ways to keep the kids entertained while schools are out.
But now it’s time to take care of those film lovers… and also those keen to plan budget-friendly events that also take into account the classic Manchester April showers.
Cinema chain Vue has announced its lineup of family blockbusters showing at venues across Greater Manchester this spring – including Printworks, Lowry, Bolton, Altrincham, and Bury.
Arriving in time for the school holidays, A Minecraft Movie welcomes fans to their favourite cubic wonderland, while the whole family can instead transport themselves into Disney’s reimagining of the 1937 classic Snow White if they’d prefer.
Also returning to the big screen are childhood classics like Wallace & Gromit: Curse of The Were-Rabbit, 20 years after its original release, and the beloved Babe, to celebrate the film’s 30th anniversary.
Greater Manchester cinemas will be screening family-favourite films for just £2.50 this spring / Credit: Disney | Aardman Animations
And as part of Vue’s ‘Mighty Mornings’ offering, film fans can enjoy pre-releases of family-friendly flicks like Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Moana 2 every day throughout half term, all from just £2.49 per ticket when booked online.
“A trip to Vue this Easter break is the perfect opportunity for families to immerse themselves in the magic of their favourite big screen characters,” commented Rob Lea, who is the Head of Screen Content at Vue UK & Ireland.
Emily Sergeant -
10th January 2023 
