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Day Lewis Pharmacy and Rowlands Pharmacy were recently named as two of the top 20 worst offending companies in a Government list of businesses that had paid workers below minimum wage between 2015 and 2022.

On May 29 the Department for Business and Trade published a list of 518 businesses that had collectively underpaid almost 60,000 workers over £7.4m, with four pharmacy businesses named in the report. 

Rowlands ranked fourth after it was found to have underpaid a total of £307,342 to 2,293 workers. Meanwhile, Day Lewis came 16th after it was found to have underpaid £82,819 to 604 workers. 

JM McGill Ltd, which operates pharmacies in South Yorkshire, had underpaid £38,178 to 364 workers while Bastwell Pharmacy in Lancashire had underpaid £8,925 to 11 workers.

All companies named in the list have now paid the sums that were legally owed to their workers, along with possible financial penalties of up to 200 per cent of the sums underpaid.

Employment rights minister Justin Madders commented: "There is no excuse for employers to undercut their workers, and we will continue to name companies who break the law and don’t pay their employees what they are owed.

"Ensuring workers have the support they need and making sure they receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work is a key commitment in our Plan for Change. This will put more money in working people’s pockets, helping to boost productivity and ending low pay."