John Lewis and Waitrose to give staff free meals over winter to help with cost of living

The John Lewis Partnership is to offer all its staff free meals over the winter months to help with the rising cost of living. 

The retail group, which owns John Lewis stores and Waitrose supermarkets, will offer the meals between October and January to all staff, including permanent, temporary and agency workers.

A spokesman for the John Lewis Partnership told the BBC that someone working a four-hour shift will be able to choose one meal – breakfast, lunch or dinner – depending on the time of day.

An employee working an eight-hour shift could choose two meals, he said, adding that the food will be delivered in different ways depending on the workplace.

John Lewis

Those working in smaller convenience stores would receive a vending style offer, such as Waitrose salads or sandwiches.

Andrew Murphy, chief operations officer at JLP, said: “We pride ourselves on creating a happy workplace because it’s our partners who make the difference and it’s thanks to them that John Lewis and Waitrose are two of the UK’s best-loved brands.

“We are looking forward to welcoming people across the country to grow our team and ensure we deliver a great Christmas for our customers.”

Around 4,000 new seasonal workers will be recruited for the group’s 331 Waitrose shops, including supermarket assistants, night shift workers and delivery drivers.

The group is also hiring about 2,000 temporary workers for the its 34 John Lewis stores, including sales and merchandising roles.

This comes as inflation soars to its highest level in over four decades, pushing up the cost of living to unattainable levels for millions of households.

The cost of food was the largest contributor to rising prices in July, according to the ONS.