In preparation for the festive season, Sainsbury’s is recruiting 22,000 seasonal staff across the UK, with 2,000 at Argos staff.

This recruitment drive is aimed at ensuring customers have the best possible shopping experience and that store shelves remain fully stocked.

Sainsbury’s chief people officer said Prerana Issar: "⁠This is the busiest time in the retail calendar and we are looking for people with a passion for good food who can thrive in a fast-paced environment and are committed to providing brilliant customer service.”

Early start for festive helpers

Temporary colleagues will be onboarded earlier than usual, starting this week, to ensure that all staff are prepared for the holiday rush.

The available roles will encompass customer service, restocking and fulfilling online orders, including picking, packing and delivery. Warehouse teams will work to facilitate product distribution.

Competitive pay and benefits

To recognise seasonal staff, Sainsbury’s has adjusted its colleague discount offer, providing 15% off at Sainsbury’s every Friday and Saturday and 15% off at Argos every payday Friday.

Temporary colleagues will also receive an extra discount card for a family member or friend at the same address and complimentary food during shifts.

Temporary roles will be employed on fixed-term contracts ranging from three to 12 weeks.

Sainsbury’s said it emphasises fair compensation, paying colleagues above the National Living Wage. Temporary roles offer competitive pay rates: £11 – £11.95 p/h for in-store jobs, £11 – £11.95 ($13.36-$14.51) per hour for warehouse fulfilment jobs and £12 – £13.45 per hour for driver jobs.

Christmas competition

As confirmed by former Sainsbury’s CEO Justin King in June 2023, competition is fierce among UK supermarket chains.

Sainsbury’s announcement follows rival Aldi. The discount supermarket chain said earlier this week it is gearing up for the festive rush by hiring 3,000 new employees across its stores in the UK.