London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Tesco, Pizza Hut and Superdrug in minimum wage fail

Tesco, Pizza Hut and Superdrug in minimum wage fail

Tesco, Pizza Hut and Superdrug are among more than a hundred firms "named and shamed" by the government for not paying workers the minimum wage.

Almost 140 companies investigated between 2016 and 2018 failed to pay £6.7m to over 95,000 workers.

The minimum wage ranges from £4.15 an hour for apprentices, to £8.72 an hour for over-25s.

Tesco, Pizza Hut and Superdrug said the underpayments were historic errors and staff had been swiftly reimbursed.

Ministers said the offending firms - which included hotels, restaurants, car washes and shops - short changed tens of thousands of workers, in what they described as a "completely unacceptable breach of employment law".

Cases included employers taking deductions from wages for uniforms, training or parking fees or failing to raise employees' pay after a birthday which should have moved them into a higher minimum wage bracket.

'Wake-up call'


It is the first time the government has named firms for failing to pay the national minimum wage since 2018, following reforms to the process to make sure only the worst offenders are revealed.

The Business Minister Paul Scully said he was especially disappointed to see big household names on the list but he said it should be a "wake-up call" to bosses.

"It is never acceptable for any employer to short-change their workers, but it is especially disappointing to see huge household names who absolutely should know better on this list," he added.

What is the minimum wage?


The UK national minimum wage sets out the least a worker can be paid per hour by law.

As of April 2020, it stood at £8.72 an hour for people aged 25 and older - the government refers to this main rate as the National Living Wage.

There are four minimum wages below this amount for younger workers and apprentices:

*  The National Minimum Wage for 21 to 24-year-olds - £8.20

*  For 18 to 20-year-olds - £6.45

*  For under-18s - £4.55

*  For apprentices - £4.15

TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said may firms which failed to pay their workers the minimum wage still wouldn't be named.

"The government raised the threshold for naming employers compared with the old scheme, meaning fewer bad bosses are exposed."

Tesco said a technical issue in 2017 meant some workers' pay "inadvertently" fell below the minimum wage and it had reported the issue itself to HMRC.

"In most cases the reimbursement was £10 or less," the supermarket said.

Pizza Hut and Superdrug both said the error was related to a previous uniform policy, which required staff to wear a particular colour trousers and shoes.

"It is important to stress that there was never any intent to underpay our employees," said Pizza Hut. Superdrug said it had changed its policy to make sure the issue did not happen again.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×