Pay inequality is harming female retailer workers’ mental health, limiting financial stability and leaving them feeling undervalued compared with male colleagues, according to a new survey from equal pay law firm Leigh Day.

The findings, released to mark Equal Pay Day, highlight the mounting personal and financial strain facing thousands of female supermarket workers still waiting for progress on long-running equal pay disputes.

More than 4,500 women across major supermarket chains, including Asda, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons and the Co-op, took part in the research commissioned by law firm Leigh Day, which represents over 100,000 workers in the claims.

Half of respondents said unequal pay had affected their mental health or general wellbeing, with many describing increased anxiety about bills and a wider sense of unfairness at work.

The financial consequences were also clear: 61% said equal pay would have allowed them to save money in the past year, while half said they could have reduced debt.

Others pointed to basic necessities, with one worker claiming equal pay would have meant “being able to afford essentials without going to a food bank.”

Meanwhile some said equal pay might have prevented long-term harm with another worker saying: “I could have reduced my hours after having breast cancer – the medication has serious side effects,” and one colleague adding that equal pay would have meant avoiding being “on the brink of homelessness”.

“These results lay bare what unequal pay really means for women – missed savings, growing debt, pressure on families, and a damaging impact on mental health,” said Leigh Day employment partner Paula Lee.

“At a time when the cost of living continues to bite, thousands of women are doing vital, skilled and customer-facing work but feel undervalued compared with their male colleagues in distribution centres.

“For more than a decade, supermarket employers have delayed addressing this inequality. Our clients are clear – this is about fairness, respect, and recognition of the work they do every single day.

“As Equal Pay Day reminds us, progress is painfully slow. These claims show why change is overdue in the retail sector. Workers repeatedly cited disparity in how shop-floor roles are viewed compared with warehouse positions, with 78% saying they do not believe their supermarkets value store work equally.

A spokesperson for Co-op said: “Our colleagues play an important role in our business and we are very committed to paying them fairly for the work that they do in supporting communities. We believe that we pay our colleagues fairly for the roles that they do and so will continue to defend these claims.”

Earlier this year, it was understood Tens of thousands of female Asda workers were on the “cusp of justice” and due to receive a historic pay-out.

However, in July, fellow retailer Tesco returned to court seeking to overturn a legal decision in its ongoing £4bn equal pay dispute.

Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons have been contacted for comment

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