"Sainsbury's will increase hourly pay from £12 to £12.60, a 5% rise, effective in March and August 2025, as reported by the company. The pay rise aims to support staff amid rising costs and inflation, with Sainsbury's facing an additional annual bill of £140 million, according to the statement. Sainsbury's reported a 2.7% increase in group sales over the 16 weeks to January 4, driven by grocery sales, as stated in the trading update. The British Retail Consortium warned that consumers will likely see price increases as retailers manage new costs from the autumn budget, as mentioned in their report."