M&S to give staff free meals and vouchers

MARKS and Spencer has launched a £15million cost of living support package for thousands of staff, including free meals and sanitary products.

The scheme includes a second pay rise this year with hourly rates rising this autumn to at least £10.20 for 40,000 staff. A full-time customer assistant will now earn over £100 more each month than in October 2021. M&S will also provide 4,500 salaried staff with a one-off £250 M&S voucher.

And the retailer will expand its free food policy, which already applies to store staff, to its distribution centre in Castle Donington, Leicestershire.

Chief executive Stuart Machin said the firm ‘wants to do what it can to help ease the strain’.