Tesco CEO Salary 2026: How It Compares to Typical Chief Executive Pay and Store Worker Wages

Tesco CEO Salary in Context: Regional and Seniority Differences

When people search for "tesco ceo salary", they often want to understand how the top earner's pay compares with typical chief executive pay and with the wages of store workers. This guide uses the latest publicly available data from ONS, GOV.UK, and HMRC to provide a clear picture.

Typical Chief Executive Pay

According to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2025 provisional data, the median full-time salary for chief executives and senior officials is £99,944 per year. The mean is much higher at £158,728 because very large executive packages pull the average up. At the median, gross monthly pay is about £8,329, and after Income Tax and employee National Insurance (2026/27 rates, standard tax code 1257L), estimated take-home pay is around £5,710 per month.

It is important to note that this figure covers all chief executives and senior officials across the UK, not specifically the Tesco CEO. Tesco is a FTSE 100 company, and its CEO's total compensation package — including salary, bonus, long-term incentives, and benefits — is likely to be substantially higher, often running into millions of pounds. The search results do not provide a precise Tesco CEO salary figure, so we rely on the typical median as a benchmark.

Supermarket Worker Pay: Regional Differences

At the other end of the seniority scale, supermarket workers earn hourly rates set above the National Living Wage. For 2026, the major supermarket rates are:

• Tesco: £13.28 per hour nationally, £14.55 inside the M25.
• Sainsbury's: £13.23 nationally, £14.54 London.
• M&S: £13.41 nationally, £14.74 London.
• Asda: £12.71 nationally from April, rising to £13.10 from July; London rates £13.93 rising to £14.35.

The National Living Wage for anyone aged 21 and over is £12.71 per hour from April 2026. The London premium adds roughly £1.27–£1.33 per hour, reflecting higher living costs.

Take-Home Pay for a Tesco Store Worker

Using Tesco's national rate of £13.28 per hour for a 35-hour week:

• Annual gross: £13.28 × 35 × 52 = £24,169.60
• Income Tax (20% on earnings above £12,570): £2,319.92
• Employee National Insurance (8% on earnings above £12,570): £927.97
• Take-home before pension: £20,921.71 per year (about £1,743 per month)

If auto-enrolled in the workplace pension, a further 5% of qualifying earnings would be deducted, reducing take-home further. Student loan repayments would also apply if applicable.

Regional Tax Differences

Income Tax bands differ in Scotland. Scottish taxpayers face higher rates at most income levels above about £27,000. For example, the basic rate in Scotland ranges from 19% to 21% on earnings up to £43,662, compared to 20% up to £50,270 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. National Insurance is the same across the UK.

Seniority and Pay Gaps

The gap between a Tesco CEO and a store worker is vast. While the typical chief executive median is £99,944, a store worker on £24,170 earns about a quarter of that. The CEO of a FTSE 100 company like Tesco will have total compensation many times the typical median, often exceeding £4–5 million when including bonuses and long-term incentives. This illustrates the extreme seniority differences in UK pay.

Using Our Tools

To calculate your own take-home pay, try our take-home calculator. For more salary comparisons and guides, visit our salary articles. You can also explore salary data for various occupations.

Summary

• Typical chief executive median salary: £99,944 gross; take-home ~£5,710/month.
• Tesco CEO salary is not publicly specified but is likely far higher.
• Tesco store worker: £13.28/hr national, take-home ~£1,743/month.
• London premium adds over £1/hour for store staff.
• Scottish Income Tax bands differ and can reduce take-home.
• Always check your own tax code, pension, and deductions for accurate figures.