The Christmas period is a great time to pick up extra work, with supermarket giants like Sainsbury's hiring tens of thousands of workers to keep up with demand(Image: No credit)

Sainsbury's to hire 20,000 new staff across UK - with pay up to £14.65 per hour

The supermarket giant is preparing for a bumper Christmas shopping season with the recruitment drive

by · BristolLive

Sainsbury's is set to recruit an additional 20,000 staff members across its stores, warehouses, and driving fleet in anticipation of the Christmas rush. The supermarket giant has opened applications for seasonal roles, which will last up to three months during this peak period.

The hiring spree will see 18,000 positions filled at Sainsbury's supermarkets and a further 2,000 at Argos locations throughout the UK. Job opportunities will vary from in-store roles such as restocking shelves, warehouse positions to handle stock picking and preparation, to drivers tasked with home deliveries.

New hires will be on fixed-term contracts that could range from a short stint of three weeks to a full three-month duration. Wages for these seasonal jobs are competitive, with in-store and warehouse staff earning between £12 and £13.50 per hour, while drivers can expect to make between £13 and £14.65 per hour, with rates influenced by the job location and specific role.

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In addition to their pay, seasonal workers at Sainsbury's will benefit from complimentary meals during their shifts and a store discount of 10 per cent, which increases to 15 per cent on Fridays and Saturdays at Sainsbury's, and on payday at Argos.

Temp staff will get discounts, as well as a nice hourly rate(Image: No credit)

Prerana Issar, Sainsbury's Chief People Officer, commented on the recruitment drive: "As the festive season draws near, we're getting ready to create a memorable Christmas for our customers and our brilliant colleagues play a central role in bringing this to life.

"Joining us during this busy time is a fantastic opportunity to meet great people and acquire skills that will stay with you long after the festive season."

With approximately 1,400 supermarkets and convenience stores nationwide, Sainsbury's holds the position of the UK's second-largest supermarket chain, trailing only behind Tesco.

The company reported a surge in sales last Christmas, with customers purchasing record amounts of pigs in blankets, mince pies and sparkling wine.