Inflation compensation: Rewe and Penny double the discount for employees

Created: 04/07/2022 15:21

By: Lisa Mayerhofer

According to a report in the Lebensmittelzeitung, Rewe and Penny increased the discount for employees on groceries from five to ten percent on July 1st.

(Iconic image) © imago stock&people/Horst Galuschka/Imago

Food prices have risen sharply in recent months.

The supermarket chains Rewe and Penny have now responded with a special offer - for their employees.

Cologne – More and more people in Germany are feeling the effects of the persistently high prices in everyday life.

According to the ZDF "Politbarometer" of July 1, 40 percent of those surveyed stated that inflation was causing them major problems personally.

Food has recently become significantly more expensive, with prices rising by 12.7 percent in June, according to the Federal Statistical Office.

Rewe and Penny increased the discount for employees on July 1st

This development is likely to continue in the coming weeks and months: As the Munich ifo Institute reported on Friday based on a survey, almost every retailer of food and luxury goods wants to increase their prices.

As a result, supermarkets and discounters face a problem: If they increase the prices for groceries, their own employees also have to suffer the consequences.

The discounters Aldi and Lidl have therefore already raised the minimum wage for their employees to 14 euros.

Now the supermarket chains Penny and Rewe have also reacted - albeit with a different offer for their employees: According to a report in the

, they increased the discount for employees on groceries from five to ten percent on July 1st.

The newspaper refers to an article in the employee magazine One.

The benefit should therefore apply to purchases from Rewe and Penny up to a maximum of 1000 euros per month and last until December 31, 2022.

If tax allowances or exemption limits are exceeded as a result of the increased discount, the supermarkets will bear the costs for their employees.

Rewe boss on discount: "direct and noticeable financial relief in everyday life"

The doubling of the employee discount causes “a direct and noticeable financial relief in everyday life”, quotes the

(LZ) from the Rewe Group boss Lionel Souque.

Helmut Göttmann, Chairman of the Rewe/Penny General Works Council, also welcomed the step: “The General Works Council expressly welcomes the doubling of the employee discount in view of the ever-rising inflation rate.

The increase is a great and helpful support for our colleagues and their families in earning a living.”

It is not the first time that the company has rewarded its employees in the form of additional financial support: in 2020, Rewe and Penny paid their employees a bonus totaling more than 20 million euros.

With this, the company wanted to reward its employees in the stores and logistics for their commitment during the Corona crisis.