John Lewis Partnership increases pay for LGV drivers

Thursday 5 August 2021

The John Lewis Partnership has today announced plans to increase annual salaries for LGV drivers by up to £5,000 a year.

From Sunday August 8, LGV drivers employed by John Lewis and Waitrose will receive a pay rise of around £2 an hour in their base pay across all its regional and national distribution sites. 

The salary increases - which follow a review of LGV driver rates in the Partnership - are designed to ensure that both retailers can continue to recruit LGV drivers at market competitive rates. Around 900 drivers currently employed will benefit from the higher pay rates. 

In addition to higher recruitment rates we will also offer a welcome payment of £1,000 to new LGV Drivers with C+E licences joining the business before November 2021 as we enter our peak trading period. 

In addition, we are planning to invest in driver recruitment and training by establishing a driver training programme to allow existing Partners and new recruits without LGV experience to train up. This will help address the acute shortage of drivers, which is affecting the entire industry. 

Mark Robinson, Director of Supply Chain for the John Lewis Partnership, said:

“There’s never been a better time to get behind the wheel for Waitrose and John Lewis. We’re responding quickly to the national driver shortage by ensuring our drivers are paid competitively and by investing in training for the future.

“These changes will mean that we can continue to serve our customers well and get them the products they need.”

About the John Lewis Partnership

The John Lewis Partnership owns and operates two of Britain's best-loved retail brands - John Lewis and Waitrose. Started as a radical idea nearly a century ago, the Partnership is the largest employee-owned business in the UK and amongst the largest in the world, with over 80,000 employees who are all Partners in the business. Profits made are reinvested into the business - for customers and Partners. John Lewis operates 42 shops plus one outlet across the UK as well as johnlewis.com. Waitrose has 331 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, including 59 convenience branches, and another 27 shops at Welcome Break locations. The retailer's omnichannel business includes the online grocery service, Waitrose.com, as well as specialist online shops including waitrosecellar.com for wine and waitroseflorist.com for plants and flowers.