WH Smith, Marks & Spencer and Argos are among a string of companies named for failing to pay the minimum wage. More than 200 firms face penalties of nearly £7m and must reimburse workers for breaches dating back over a decade. WH Smith, Marks & Spencer and Argos all said the breaches were unintentional and had been swiftly remedied. It is unclear how much they paid in fines, but the government said penalties amounted to up to 200% of the arrears owed. According to the business department, some 63,000 workers were left "out of pocket" because of the breaches, most of which occurred from 2017-2019. WH Smith was the worst offender, having failed to pay more than £1m to over 17,600 workers. The retailer said it had misinterpreted rules around uniforms, having asked staff to wear specific coloured trousers, skirts and shoes without reimbursing them for it. Sainsbury's, which owns Argos, was told to repay £480,093.58 to 10,399 workers. It said a payroll error identified in 2018 had affected some Argos store workers and drivers dating back to 2012, before Sainsbury's acquisition of Argos. The retailer said it had launched an immediate investigation and "put this right at the time".
