v3.26.1
Employees
12 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Employees  
Employees
 24. Employees 
 
This note shows the average number of people employed by the Group during the year, in which areas of our business our employees work and where they are based. It also shows total employment costs.
 
     
2026
Employees
 
2025
Employees
 
2024
Employees
By activity
      
Operations
     15,371        15,440        15,707   
Selling and distribution
     20,695       21,830       22,928  
Customer care and administration
     56,922       55,564       57,647  
  
 
92,988
 
 
 
92,834
 
 
 
96,282
 
By segment
      
Germany
     13,568       14,341       15,115  
UK
     12,416       9,332       9,640  
Other Europe
     11,635       11,744       11,441  
Africa
     14,676       14,036       13,578  
Türkiye
     3,143       3,164       3,126  
Common Functions
     37,550       36,163       34,273  
- Of which: Shared operations
  
 
36,790
 
 
 
35,338
 
 
 
33,359
 
- Of which: Corporate services
  
 
760
 
 
 
825
 
 
 
914
 
  
 
   92,988
 
 
 
   88,780
 
 
 
   87,173
 
Discontinued operations
           4,054       9,109  
Total
  
 
92,988
 
 
 
92,834
 
 
 
96,282
 
The cost incurred in respect of these employees (including Directors) was:
 
     
2026
€m
  
2025
m
  
2024
m
Wages and salaries
     4,521        4,369        4,674   
Social security costs
     602       512       497  
Other pension costs (note 25 ‘Post employment benefits’)
     248       245       217  
Share-based payments (note 26 ‘Shared-based payments’)
     103       110       110  
  
 
5,474
 
 
 
5,236
 
 
 
5,498
 
Discontinued operations
           286       748  
Total
  
 
    5,474
 
 
 
    5,522
 
 
 
    6,246