Coronavirus: Tesco, Asda, Aldi and Lidl ramp up hiring to deal with extra demand

The grocers plan to draft in more than 35,000 new workers between them to deal with extra demand. Many of the jobs will be offered to the thousands of employees in the restaurant and hospitality sector who have been impacted by the pandemic. 

Tesco is on the biggest recruitment drive, targeting 20,000 new staff. Aldi is creating 9,000 new roles, Asda is taking on 5,000 more people and Lidl is recruiting 2,500 additional staff.

Tesco wants the 20,000 new hires to work in its stores for at least the next 12 weeks. It launched the recruitment drive on Wednesday and said it has “already been overwhelmed by support from the public”.

The supermarket giant has streamlined its recruitment processes, allowing it to invite applicants in for interviews and process their applications in a single day.

Aldi’s 9,000 new roles will span “every one of its stores and distribution centres, to help keep the nation going in uncertain times” and will be split between 5,000 temporary jobs and 4,000 permanent roles across its store estate.

The discounter also said that all paper products, including toilet and kitchen roll, would now be limited to two per customer. All other lines have been limited to four per customer. 

Asda said it was working with 20 national companies in industries like food services and travel “to bring in colleagues in need of work” on temporary secondments.

It said its colleagues were being urged to “reach out on social media to invite friends and family whose work has been impacted by coronavirus to get in touch with their local store about job opportunities”.

It also confirmed it would be paying its small suppliers immediately to help them “keep their business operating [and] provide a ‘rent-free’ quarter to around 250 small business tenants in stores” struggling to operate.

Asda chief executive Roger Burnley said: “During these difficult times, everyone has to work together to help people most affected by Covid-19 and Asda is pleased to play its part. That is why today we have committed to hiring more than 5,000 employees who have lost their jobs due to Covid-19 and have been left with deep concerns about their household budgets.”

Lidl wants to hire 2,500 new stock assistants on four-week fixed-term contracts to start immediately and be paid at the Living Wage.

It said the temporary roles would “support those currently in need of work during this difficult time” and new hires would be responsible for keeping stores clean and stacking shelves “so that customers can get the products they need”.

Lidl is also offering head office staff the chance to work in stores to provide frontline staff with extra support.

The discounter said it would also be supporting staff forced to self-isolate due to the virus through “flexible sick pay, holiday pay, advanced holiday pay and mobile working where applicable”.

Lidl UK chief executive Christian Härtnagel said: “Our store colleagues are doing an incredible job at keeping our shelves stocked and serving communities during an extremely challenging period. Temporarily expanding our teams is one way we can help support our colleagues and customers, while providing work to those that have had their employment affected by the current situation.”