Lidl Ireland announced an €8 million investment in pay increases for its existing workforce in the Republic of Ireland, with a further £1.1 million being invested in the retailers’ operations in Northern Ireland. All employees will feel the benefit of this increase in their wages, with the increase effective from 1st March.
Since 2022, Lidl has invested more than €47 million in pay rises for employees in the Republic of Ireland, with employees benefitting from an approximate 23.5% cumulative increase, or an average €8,000 in additional take home pay during the height of the cost-of-living crisis.
This latest investment will see all of Lidl’s 6,000 employees in Ireland benefitting from an average of 3% pay rise, equal to, on average, €1,300 additional for every employee per annum.
As the first major nationwide employer to commit to paying the Living Wage in 2015, Lidl Ireland has for the last decade maintained or exceeded the Living Wage rate of pay. With this latest pay increase, Lidl Ireland has moved its minimum wage for employees to €15.10 and top rate wage for colleagues to €17.40 – exceeding the recommended €14.75 Living Wage rate for 2025.Commenting on the announcement, Maeve McCleane, Chief People Officer at Lidl Ireland & Northern Ireland said:
“We are proud to reward the hard work and dedication of our employees with further pay rises in 2025, bringing our total investment in pay increases since 2022 to €47 million. Although inflation has eased somewhat over the past 12 months, we understand the pressures that so many still face with the cost of living, and we are committed to continuing to invest in our people. We will not compromise in providing colleagues with best-in-class support, not just in pay, but also through a wide array of benefits and initiatives which every Lidl employee is entitled to.”
For the fifth year running, Lidl has been recognised by the Top Employers Institute as a Top Employer for 2025. One of only 12 Irish companies and the only retailer to receive the accreditation, the Top Employer accreditation is a globally recognised and highly sought-after certification which showcases an organisation’s dedication to a better world of work, exhibited through excellent HR policies and people practices.
Lidl continues to support employees with the best compensation and benefits packages in the industry as well as creating an environment where their colleagues’ holistic needs are prioritised. The retailer is well known for its industry-leading initiatives designed to ensure employees wellbeing is top of mind.
Current employee benefits provided by Lidl Ireland include:
· Paid Maternity and Paternity Leave: Lidl Ireland is the only supermarket to offer paid maternity as well as paternity leave to all employees across the country.
· Paid Fertility Leave: In April 2022, Lidl announced the introduction of Fertility Leave for Lidl employees who are undergoing IVF fertility treatments. These employees are offered two days at full pay per cycle, regardless of length of service. There is no limit to the number of cycles for which employees can avail of the policy.
· Removal of Mandatory Retirement Age: Lidl became the first large employer in Ireland to support employees who wish to work past the age of 65 by removing the mandatory retirement age of 65 from contracts.
· Compassionate Leave for Early Pregnancy Loss and Miscarriage: Lidl became the first company across the region to extend its Compassionate Leave policy to include three days at full pay to all employees who have experienced or been affected by early pregnancy loss and miscarriage. This extends to all employees, regardless of gender, including those with a surrogate mother.
· Supports for employees who have experienced domestic violence: Lidl Ireland supports its employees experiencing, or at risk of, domestic abuse by offering ten days paid leave, double the legal requirement of five days set by the Irish government.
· Menopause Supports: Lidl have launched a support guide for employees and line managers to better understand the impact menopause can have on an individual, in partnership with The Menopause Hub. This includes expert advice and pay for a consultation for the employee. Lidl was also named Best Large Company at the Menopause Workplace Excellence Awards.
· Surrogacy Leave: Lidl offers 24 weeks fully paid surrogacy leave as well as 4 days of Parental Preparation Classes to all employees across the country. This is available for the primary care giver (regardless of gender) while paternity leave is available to the secondary care giver (regardless of gender).
· Flexible Contracts: Like many retail businesses a high proportion of employees are on part-time contracts for various reasons from flexibility to operational requirements. Lidl offers contracts with a minimum of 30 hours to all store and warehouse employees to facilitate their changing needs.
· Employee Assistance Programme: A free, confidential counselling service is offered by Lidl to employees through Laya Healthcare’s Employee Assistance Programme. It offers support to Lidl employees and their families by providing immediate help and guidance in managing whatever work or personal issues they are facing.
· Paid Volunteering: Lidl provides all employees with the opportunity to take part in a paid Volunteer Day each year. Employees are encouraged to spend a day volunteering with charities in their local communities.
· Comprehensive Training Programmes: Employees benefit from extensive training and development opportunities which have enabled over 40% of our current store management to progress through the company having initially started as Customer Assistants.
· Pension contributions after one year with the company.
· Paid health insurance for salaried employees.
