Asda scraps separate rate of pay for under 18s

Asda is scrapping its "under 18" pay rate to offer equal rates of pay for all employees doing the same job, regardless of their age.

The supermarket chain has more than 5,000 colleagues who are under 18 working in its stores across England, Scotland and Wales and is investing more than £1.7m in upping their pay rate to match the pay of older workers.

This will see the average worker under the age of 18 take home an extra £300 over the next year.

The move comes in the same week that new age discrimination legislation comes into effect, although the new rules do not force employers to level the playing field for pay in this way.
Until now, it has been common practice for retailers to pay under 18s a lower rate of pay for doing the same job as someone who is over the age of 18.