Lidl to offer warehouse jobs on the spot as it hunts for 1,000 new workers

Lidl is recruiting for 1,000 new roles, with warehouse applicants to be offered jobs on the spot, in the latest sign of intensifying competition for labour.

To make it as easy as possible to start work, Lidl plans to offer successful candidates an employment contract immediately at a series of open days at its distribution centres. It is also recruiting for roles in stores.

Wage inflation has intensified competition for workers between retailers this year, particularly in warehouses, where employee churn rate can be high.

Along with rival discounter Aldi, Lidl is one of a number of supermarkets to respond by raising pay twice this year. From 1 October, the latest rise took the entry-level houly rate for Lidl store and warehouse workers to £11.95 within the M25 and £10.90 elsewhere in the UK.

It made Lidl the highest paying supermarket in stores outside London based on entry-level rates, topping Aldi’s £10.50. In the capital it is joint top payer, along with Aldi. However, along with Co-op, Aldi is one of only two major grocers to offer paid breaks, which the discounter says are worth more than £830 a year to the average store worker.

Aldi CEO Giles Hurley also recently said the supermarket would be reviewing pay again this year. 

The new roles at Lidl include warehouse operatives, cleaners and customer assistants, and all are permanent, full-time positions.

Read more: Lidl and Aldi’s store opening programmes facing barrage of rival planning objections

“We’re incredibly proud of our colleagues across the country, whose hard work and loyalty mean that we are the fastest growing supermarket, with over 1.5m more people shopping with us than last year,” said Lidl GB chief HR officer Nan Gibson.

“As our customer base continues to grow, and as we open more new stores and warehouses, we need more people to join team Lidl.

“Not only will new colleagues be the highest paid in the industry as a result of our newly increased rates, they will also be part of an amazing team of people that are working to help make good food accessible to all households, at a time when that’s so needed.”

Lidl opened three new stores last week, in Alperton, Oxford and Gillingham, and is currently redeveloping its Belvedere distribution centre. It is also set to open a new distribution centre in Luton next year, which it began recruiting for in March.

The warehouse open days are to be held at the following locations and dates: