Next wins key appeal to overturn £30m equal pay ruling

The Employment Appeal Tribunal ruled that Next could justify paying warehouse staff more than shop-floor workers because of recruitment and retention pressures, overturning the central part of a 2024 equal-pay decision. More than 3,500 mostly female current and former store workers had potentially stood to share over £30m in back pay, but their law firm Leigh Day said it would appeal again. Findings on night and overtime premiums and paid breaks remain in place, while other major UK retailers facing similar claims will closely examine the result.