A COURT ruling has dealt a blow to retail giant Tesco as it resists equal pay claims brought by thousands of mainly women workers.

The European Union Court of Justice (CJEU) said today that Tesco shopworkers can seek to use the pay and conditions of distribution staff as a comparator in cases being brought on their behalf by Leigh Day solicitors, acting on a no-win, no-fee basis.

The claimants say they have been paid up to £3 an hour less than warehouse staff, who are mostly men, for work that they contend is broadly similar.