Pret A Manger said its baristas would be among 'the highest paid in the industry’ | Photo credit: Pret A Manger

Pret A Manger has announced a third pay rise within the space of 12 months for its UK baristas and store workers as it seeks support staff with the rising cost-of-living. 
 

The UK coffee and food-to-go chain said its 7,870 baristas, store managers and in-store team members across the UK will receive an additional 3% pay increase from 1 April 2023, in addition to the 5% increase that came into effect in December 2022.  

The move means that average base pay for Pret A Manger in-store staff will increase by 19% year-on-year, while average entry level pay will rise by 15% year-on-year to above £12. 

Overall inflation is currently at 10.1% in the UK. By raising base pay to above the rate of inflation, Pret A Manger said its baristas would be among 'the highest paid in the industry’. 

The pay rise will vary depending on job role, experience and location. Hourly barista pay rates will increase from £10.85-£12.50 to £11.20-£12.85, while team members will see hourly pay increase from £10.30-£11.55 to £10.60-£11.90. 

The UK National Living Wage, the legal minimum wage set by the UK government for employees aged 23 and above, will increase to £10.42 on 1 April 2023. 

Pret A Manger, which operates 429 stores across the UK, has also introduced a new discounts portal which provides staff with access to food from select UK supermarkets, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Iceland, at a reduced cost.  

Pret A Manger employees already receive free food and beverages while on-shift and a 50% discount off-shift. 

“We’re committed to making Pret a rewarding and supportive place to work for all our teams and paying the best we can afford to. As the cost-of-living continues to rise, we hope this latest increase in pay, and our expanded benefits package, goes some way in providing further support for our hard-working teams,” said Guy Meakin, Interim Managing Director, Pret A Manger UK & Ireland. 

In September 2021 Pret A Manger announced plans to double the size of its business within five years, including opening more than 200 new stores across the UK and expanding into five new markets by the end of 2023. 

The coffee and food-to-go chain currently operates more than 120 international outlets across Belgium, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Kuwait, Singapore, Switzerland, the UAE and the US. 

In June 2022 Pret A Manger announced plans to open up to 100 stores across India by 2028 with franchise partner Reliance Brands Limited. 

The JAB Holding-backed chain also reached agreements this year to debut in Israel and Qatar.