Blue Banana
Blue Banana is a fashion retailer specialising in alternative fashion. They also offer body piercing services.
bluebanana.com/enRating based on 36 employees who took the Breakroom Quiz
About jobs at Blue Banana
Pay
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Needs improving
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Most people aren’t paid a living wage
Do Blue Banana pay a living wage?
Most people are not paid a living wage.
How we know this
92% of people say they are paid below the Real Living Wage for where they live.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone should be paid enough to live on.
The Real Living Wage is a voluntary rate employers can sign up to that is based on the real cost of living.
The current rates are ÂŁ13.45 per hour, and ÂŁ14.80 per hour in London.
Find out more in our explainer about the Real Living Wage.
Okay
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Only some people are paid market rates
Do Blue Banana pay market rates?
Only some people are paid above average for their job.
How we know this
67% of people are paid below average for the type of work they do.Based on data from 6 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between January 2025 and April 2026.
Why this matters
Pay can vary a lot between types of job. Employers should be ensuring that the rates their staff are paid are in line with similar roles elsewhere.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get paid breaks
Do workers at Blue Banana get paid breaks?
No. Most people don’t get paid breaks.
How we know this
92% of people say they don’t get paid breaks.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and March 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should have paid breaks.
You should be paid for all your time at work, whether you’re on a break or not.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get sick pay
Do Blue Banana pay sick pay?
No. Most people don’t get proper sick pay.
How we know this
100% of people say they wouldn’t get paid if they were sick but scheduled to work.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and March 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off without worrying.
At a good job you should still get paid if you’re scheduled to work but can’t due to sickness. Your contract should say how many sick days you can take each year.
At a minimum, everyone is entitled to Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) from the government. See Citizens Advice for more details.
Needs improving
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The job often spills into unpaid time
Do jobs at Blue Banana spill into time workers aren’t paid for?
Yes. The job often spills into unpaid time.
How we know this
73% of people report that their job takes up time that they don’t get paid for.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and March 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone should get paid for any extra work they do, even if it is outside your contracted hours. At a good job, you should be paid for all the time you spend at work.
Hours and flexibility
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Needs improving
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Less than 4 weeks notice of shifts
How much notice do people get of their shift pattern at Blue Banana?
Most people don’t get 4 weeks notice of when they’re working.
How we know this
- 62% of people with changing schedules report getting one week notice or less.
- 31% of people with changing schedules report getting two weeks notice.
- 8% of people with changing schedules report getting three weeks notice.
- 0% of people with changing schedules report getting four weeks notice or more.
Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
At a good job, you get plenty of notice about when you’re working.
This makes it easy for you to plan the rest of life, as well as your finances, because you know how much you’ll be working and when.
Needs improving
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Most people worry about their hours
Do workers at Blue Banana worry about hours?
Most people worry about getting enough hours.
How we know this
69% of people report they worry about getting enough hours.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
At a good job, you shouldn’t have to worry about getting enough hours each week.
A good job should guarantee you a minimum number of hours in a contract, if you want it.
This makes it easier to plan your finances, because you know how much you’ll be earning.
Okay
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Only some people get a choice of shifts
Do Blue Banana workers get to choose the shifts they work?
Some people don’t get enough choice over which shifts they work.
How we know this
58% report that their manager doesn’t give them enough choice over which shifts they work.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. This means you get a say in when you prefer to work.
Needs improving
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Hard to change shifts
How easy is it for Blue Banana workers to change shifts?
Most people find it hard to change shifts.
How we know this
83% of people report that it’s hard to change shifts if they need to.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and March 2026.
Why this matters
A good job is flexible around your personal life. It should be easy to change a shift if you need to, whether that’s in an emergency or for planning ahead.
Needs improving
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Hard to book holiday
How easy is it to book a holiday at Blue Banana?
Most people find it hard to book holiday.
How we know this
71% of people report it’s hard to book holidays.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should let you take time off when you need it, and it shouldn’t be a nightmare to arrange.
Okay
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Shifts can get changed at short notice
Do Blue Banana managers change shifts at short notice?
Some managers change people’s shifts at short notice.
How we know this
58% of people say their manager changes their shifts at the last minute.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and February 2026.
Why this matters
If your manager is often changing your shifts at short notice that’s a sign of poor planning. At a good job you won’t be messed around at the last minute.
Okay
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Some people find it hard to take sick leave
How easy is it to take sick leave at Blue Banana?
Some people find it hard to take sick leave.
How we know this
54% of people report that it’s hard to take time off if they are sick.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone gets sick sometimes. You should be able to take time off when you need to.
A good job should support you when you’re unwell and have systems in place that will allow you to take time off to recover when you need it.
Okay
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Only some students say it’s good
Is a Blue Banana job good for students?
Only some students say this is a good place to work if you’re studying.
How we know this
60% of students report this isn’t a good place to work if you’re studying.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between June 2023 and May 2025.
Why this matters
A good job should allow you to fit work around important things in your life, like studying.
Life isn’t just about work. Good jobs make space for you to do well in both.
Workplace
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Okay
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Only some people feel treated with respect
Do people at Blue Banana feel treated with respect by their managers?
Some people don’t feel treated with respect by their managers.
How we know this
42% of people say they’re not treated with respect by their managers.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and March 2026.
Why this matters
Everyone should get treated with respect by their managers. You shouldn’t feel discriminated against or bullied, and if you have a problem you should be able to speak to someone about it.
Good
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Most people get proper breaks
Do people at Blue Banana get proper breaks?
Most people get proper breaks.
How we know this
80% of people report that they get to take proper breaks.Based on data from 10 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
When you take a break it should be a proper rest. It should last the full duration and you shouldn’t get pulled off it.
Needs improving
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Most people are stressed
Is it stressful to work at Blue Banana?
Most people feel stressed here.
How we know this
92% of people say they often feel stressed at work.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and March 2026.
Why this matters
Work isn’t always easy, but if you’re frequently feel stressed, that’s not good.
Your employer should support you with enough people and resources to get your job done without feeling overwhelmed.
Okay
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Only some people enjoy their job
Do people at Blue Banana enjoy their jobs?
Only some people enjoy their job.
How we know this
36% of people report they don’t enjoy their job.Based on data from 11 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t recommend their team
Do people at Blue Banana recommend working with their team?
Not many people recommend working with their team.
How we know this
71% of people report that they wouldn’t recommend working with their immediate team to a friend.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
A good job means enjoying the place where you work.
The people you work with every day really matter. They can be the difference between a terrible day and a great one.
If you’d recommend your team to a friend, this shows that something’s going right.
Needs improving
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Most people don’t get enough training
Do people get enough training when they start at Blue Banana?
Most people didn’t get enough training when they started.
How we know this
75% of people report they didn’t get enough training when they started working here.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should give you good training when you start, not just drop you in at the deep end.
This means that you’ll be happier and more productive from day one and shows that your employer values you.
It’s also very important if your job involves anything that could be dangerous. Good training from the outset keeps you and your team safe.
Okay
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Only some people get support to progress
Are people given support to progress at Blue Banana?
Only some people are given support to progress here.
How we know this
In the last year, 54% of people report not being given an opportunity to get better at their job, learn a new skill, learn to manage a team or get more responsibility in their role.Based on data from 13 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
A good job should help you progress at work, if you want to. That might be supporting you to get better at the job you currently have, learn something new, manage a team or take on more responsibilities.
This means you’ll be able to build on your skills and experience, and earn more money.
Needs improving
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Head office doesn’t understand what’s happening
Do people think Blue Banana head office understands what's happening where they work?
Most people think head office doesn’t understand what’s happening where they work.
How we know this
86% of people think that this employer’s head office or owners don’t have a good understanding of what’s really happening where they work.Based on data from 14 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between April 2024 and March 2026.
Why this matters
At a good job, the role of head office should be to support the people on the frontline serving customers.
To do that properly, the company’s owners or head office need to have a good understanding of what’s really happening on the frontline. This is especially important when a company owns multiple locations.
Okay
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Only some people feel well informed by head office
Do workers feel well informed about how Blue Banana is doing?
Only some people feel well informed about how the company is doing.
How we know this
58% of people feel that they aren’t kept well informed about how the company is doing as a whole.Based on data from 12 people who took the Breakroom Quiz between August 2024 and April 2026.
Why this matters
At a good job, there should be a supportive relationship between the people working on the frontline serving customers and the people who own the company or work in head office.
You should be kept informed about how the company is doing as a whole, both in good times and when things get tough for the business.
How Blue Banana ranks
Blue Banana ranks joint 104th to work for out of fashion retailers.
- 104= Mulberry
- 104= Blue Banana
- 104= Timberland
Rankings are based on Breakroom Ratings for employers with 30 or more Breakroom Quiz responses, accurate as of 12 July 2026.
Blue Banana job reviews
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Best thing
the other staff are nice
Worst thing
the managers don't understand mental or physical health issues, no paid work past our set hours, even if it's an hour extra. the customers are rude and can get violent. there is never cover, I'm always expected to cover for them tho. managers make you do things you're not trained to do and don't listen when you say you're not comfortable.
Report this reviewEmployee at Blue Banana, August 2024
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Best thing
The team I work with and staff discount
Worst thing
Head office is at times borderline criminal, unsafe working conditions
Report this reviewSupervisor at Blue Banana, January 2024
Handy to know
How are people paid?
Based on 14 Blue Banana employees
How much notice do people get of their shifts?
Based on 13 Blue Banana employees
What contracts are people on?
Based on 12 Blue Banana employees