A Mercadona A-level manager earns €1,600 for a full-time week

The payslip of a Mercadona A-level manager that debunks the high-salary myth

If anyone expected a Mercadona manager to live comfortably, the December 2024 payslip posted online by an employee has cooled the enthusiasm. The document, published without personal data being pixelated, shows the salary of an "A-level manager" with 13 years of service and a 20-hour part-time schedule. It has raised an uncomfortable question: how much does the chain really pay for a position of responsibility?

Two payslips, two realities: working hours change everything

The confusion stems from not reading the fine print. The leaked payslip corresponds to part-time work: 20 hours a week. Those comparing it to a full-time salary are shocked, but the key lies in the hours. A colleague in the same position, working full-time, would earn €1,600 including extra payments. The same position, 33% more hours, and the salary rises less than proportionally.

The contribution group that raises eyebrows

Another curiosity on the payslip: it lists contribution group 5, the one for administrative officers or assistants, not management. That classification has raised doubts about whether the actual category matches the role. The detail matters because the contribution group affects not only the contribution base but also the salary scale and future benefits. Meanwhile, the ceiling of €6,000 net per month attributed to the company's regional managers stands as a reference for the top of the scale, far from the A-level manager's €1,600.

The leak, besides being a privacy mistake that could cost someone their job, has served as a thermometer. If the chain does not clarify its criteria, the predictable next step is that more employees will compare payslips. What is clear: the "A-level manager" is nowhere near the golden position some imagined.