Skip to content
Search
AI Powered
Human content, AI powered search.
Latest Stories

McColl's named among UK's worst places to work for

McColl's named among UK's worst places to work for
Photo: McColl’s
Pooja Shrivastava
By Pooja ShrivastavaJan 04, 2023
Pooja Shrivastava
See Full Bio

Newsagent McColl’s has been named as one of the worst companies to work for according to a survey of employees across the UK.

The retailer was named in the top 10 worst places to work by community-powered job platform Breakroom, based on reviews from its community of 430,000 UK shift workers.

The results were based on hourly workers’ experiences. Most people regarded the pay as "bad" at McColl’s with 92 per cent of people claiming they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.

According to the survey, a sales assistant is paid between £6 and £9.50 an hour while a manager gets between £8.52 and £12.42 as compared to the Real Living Wage which is £10.90 an hour and £11.95 for those living in London.

Back in 2021, McColl's was named as one of dozens of firms that breached minimum wage requirements by the UK Government.

The company went into administration in May last year but it has now been saved by Morrisons. Over time, the stores will become Morrisons Daily outlets.

Employees also said they often don’t get any more than four weeks’ notice of what shifts they are working, with 65 per cent of people who responded saying schedules change with one week notice or less.

The survey showed people reporting that most staff don’t get proper breaks, are stressed, and don’t feel well informed by head office.

Canadian restaurant chain Tim Horton’s and underwear store Victoria’s Secret also featured in the worst list alongside McColl’s.

Anna Maybank, co-founder and CEO of Breakroom, commented: “Our communities list of the best and worst-rated employers highlights which employers are listening to employees and meeting their needs and the employers that need to improve.

"With more job competition for staff in the key sectors of retail, hospitality, logistics and social care than ever before, to attract talent employers must work harder to stand out. The next generation of job seekers are not just comparing pay and hours but looking at a range of factors including perks like free meals on shifts, staff discounts and reward programmes.”

mccoll storesmccoll's

Related News

Sainsburys-Local-web.jpg
Supermarket

Sainsbury’s extends Aldi price-match campaign to 800 convenience stores

TRIP brings viral Magnesium gummies to UK
Product News

TRIP brings viral Magnesium gummies to UK

More for you

‘Spooktacular’ store POS drives sales, customer engagement for Nisa retailer NP Group

‘Spooktacular’ store POS drives sales, customer engagement for Nisa retailer NP Group

As the final key retail season of the year approaches, Nisa retailer NP Group is gearing up for Christmas with a renewed focus on store activation and point-of-sale (POS) strategy to drive sales following a successful Halloween.

With seasonal shopping trends in full swing, effective in-store activation and visibility are crucial for smaller retailers to capture customer attention and keep up with larger competitors.Data from Retail Economics shows that UK shoppers spent approximately £10 billion on seasonal products in 2023, with Halloween contributing £650 million alone, marking a steady increase in seasonal shopping over recent years.

Keep ReadingShow less
Post Office cash deposits and withdrawals
Post Office, DPD partners to rollout ‘Click and Collect’ services
Post Office, DPD partners to rollout ‘Click and Collect’ services

Most Horizon scandal victims say it 'destroyed relationships'

Around two thirds (65 per cent) of people affected by the Horizon scandal have said it impacted their family and relationships, while many respondents report estrangement from family members because of the scandal, according to a paper published today (1) by the Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry’s listening project.

The paper title In Your Own Words illustrates the various challenges the Horizon scandal has inflicted on people’s relationships, with respondents reporting the breakdown of relationships, estrangement from family members, and acute loneliness. Some adult children of former sub-postmasters shared how they experienced bullying, financial issues and mental health struggles because of the scandal. Others reported how their parents have died before knowing the truth about the Horizon scandal, which magnified their grief.

Keep ReadingShow less
Wholesalers give cautious welcome to Reeves' budget

iStock image

Wholesalers give cautious welcome to Reeves' budget

The wholesalers have welcomed several measures announced in Chancellor Rachel Reeves's first budget but have raised concern the increase in National Living Wage and Employers National Insurance contributions will add an estimated £110 million in direct wage costs to the wholesale sector.

The wholesalers also pointed out that the lack of clarity on business rates reform means that wholesalers operating large physical premises remain disproportionately impacted by high rates. Without meaningful reform and a set timeline, these businesses will continue to shoulder a heavier burden than those in sectors with minimal property overhead.

Keep ReadingShow less
New benefits scheme for Fed members

New benefits scheme for Fed members

The Federation of Independent Retailers (The Fed) has launched an exclusive benefits scheme for Fed members.

Called FedPlus, the scheme offers a range of discounts on a host of goods and activities, from everyday purchases to luxury products.

Through FedPlus, Fed members will have access to a range of fantastic money-saving benefits covering a wide variety of areas – from health and well-being to home and car essentials, and from food and drink to fashion and tech, entertainment, travel and experiences.

There is a Savings Calculator to show how much has been saved, based on monthly or annual spending, on a range of everyday categories. The Savings Calculator will generate a personal savings total and provide links to the individual deals.

Launching FedPlus, National President Mo Razzaq said: “In my inaugural speech at the Fed’s Annual Conference in June, I spoke about the importance of providing more benefits to help members make money, save money and make business easier.

“Just four months on, we are delighted to bring you FedPlus. This is an exciting new addition to our ever-growing list of member benefits which brings you quick, at your fingertips access to several offers across a wide range of categories so the money in your wallets and purses goes even further in these financially strained times.”

Members can access the scheme through thefedonline.com website. It went live yesterday (October 31).

FedPlus is managed and run for the Fed by Parliament Hill Limited, which has been providing benefit management solutions for membership organisations for the past 20 years. Top name companies offering discounts include Virgin Experience Days, Nuffield Health, Hotpoint, Halfords, Boots, Curry’s and EE.

Tom Sparke, joint managing director and client services director at Parliament Hill, said: “We are looking forward to working with the Fed to assist them in the fantastic support that it provides for its members.

“The Fed has a strong commitment to supporting its members, which aligns with the Parliament Hill ethos of placing the needs of our clients’ members at the heart of what we do.”

Carlsberg Zero
Competition watchdog begins Carlsberg, Britvic merger probe
Competition watchdog begins Carlsberg, Britvic merger probe

Carlsberg shifts marketing focus as drinkers choose cheaper beer

Brewer Carlsberg is shifting some of its marketing focus to cheaper brands, it said on Thursday (31), as consumers in major markets bought cheaper beer and in reduced quantities.

The maker of Kronenbourg 1664, Tuborg and Somersby said beer sales volumes fell by 1.3 per cent in the third quarter, noting declines in China, France and the United Kingdom. Premium sales fell 0.5 per cent in the quarter."In Western Europe, there's no doubt that the average consumer is holding back," CEO Jacob Aarup-Andersen told Reuters.

Keep ReadingShow less