Additional Voluntary Pay Scale Increase: Companies of Schwarz Group Raise Collective Wages in the Retail Industry Once Again

• In the light of the ongoing inconclusive collective bargaining negotiations in the retail industry, the companies of Schwarz Group are once again taking the initiative and thus sending a clear signal of appreciation to their employees
• Following the voluntary increase already implemented in October 2023, pay scale employees shall now benefit from another increase of collective wages in the new collective bargaining year

As employers in the retail industry bound by collective bargaining agreements, the companies of Schwarz Group with their retail divisions, Lidl and Kaufland, attach great importance to fair remuneration. They are therefore following the recommendation of the trade associations and are again voluntarily increasing the collective wages of their pay scale employees in the retail industry*. Considering the 5.3 percent increase already applied in October 2023 for the 2023 pay scale year, this results in a total of 10 percent as of collective bargaining year 2024.

With this additional increase, the companies of Schwarz Group are anticipating the raise fundamentally possible in the collective wage agreement under negotiation. The measure takes effect in the pay scale areas as of the respective new 2024 collective bargaining year. The new collective bargaining year begins in a different month depending on the state.

*Participants in entry programs already subject to remuneration above the pay scale rate are excluded from this advance payment (e.g., apprentices, dual students).