Planning the big Christmas food shop? Or forgot sprouts on Christmas Eve?
Supermarkets are adjusting their hours over Christmas and new year, with all major chains closing on Christmas Day. Most will also shut on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, though some convenience stores will stay open.
Here’s a complete guide to festive supermarket opening hours across Aldi, Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Lidl, Waitrose, M&S, Co-op, Iceland and Booths
Aldi
Aldi’s holiday opening times give store staff days off on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
23 December: 7am-10pm
Christmas Eve: 7am-6pm
Christmas Day: Closed
Boxing Day: Closed
27 December: 8am-8pm
28 December: 8am-4pm
29-30 December: 8am-8pm
New Year’s Eve: 8am-6pm
New Year’s Day: Closed
Check local store opening times here
Asda
Asda stores will follow usual opening hours leading up to Christmas, with the following changes for the festive season.
Christmas Eve: 5am-7pm
Christmas Day: Closed
Boxing Day: 9am-6pm
27-30 December: Normal opening hours
New Year’s Eve: 7am-7pm
New Year’s Day: 9am-6pm
2 January: Normal opening hours
Asda petrol stations with pay-at-the-pump services will remain open throughout the festive period. Customers are encouraged to check the store locator online for specific store times.
Check local store opening times here
Booths
Stores are open for longer in the run-up to the big day, allowing customers to shop until midnight. Booths cafés won’t close this year and will remain open during the festive season.
21 December: 10am-4pm
22-23 December: 7am-midnight
Christmas Eve: 7am-6pm
Christmas Day: Closed
Boxing Day: Closed
27 December: 7am-10pm
28 December: 10am-4pm
29-30 December: 7am-10pm
New Year’s Eve: 7am-6pm
New Year’s Day: 9am-6pm
Check local store opening times here
Co-op
Christmas Eve: Open at usual time until 8pm
Christmas Day: All stores closed
Boxing Day: Open between 9am-7pm
New Year’s Eve: Open at usual time until 8pm
New Year’s Day: 9am-8pm
Local variations to opening times may occur, so the convenience retailer recommends customers check locally in store or online for the opening hours of their local store.
Larger Co-op supermarkets will open from their usual opening time until 7pm on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, and from 10am-7pm on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day.
Check local store opening times here
Iceland
Iceland stores will be closed on Christmas Day. On Boxing Day, select stores in London and surrounding areas will open, typically from 9am to 6pm/8pm. Many stores around Manchester will be open on Boxing Day from 10am-5pm.
From 27 December to New Year’s Eve, stores will mostly be open for normal hours. For New Year’s Day hours vary significantly across regions. Customers are advised to check their local store’s opening times online for the most accurate information.
Check local store opening times here
Lidl
Lidl stores will close on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, with most also remaining closed on Boxing Day. To avoid peak times, Lidl recommends shopping between 8am and 10am or after 6pm, as lunchtime typically sees the highest footfall.
Customers are encouraged to check their local store’s opening hours via the Lidl Plus app or online store finder.
Check local store opening times here
Marks & Spencer
All M&S stores will be closed on Christmas Day. Outlet stores and a small number of convenience stores will be open on Boxing Day. All stores will reopen on 27 December and customers are able to buy M&S Food in partner BP fuel stations throughout the holidays.
Most stores will close on New Year’s Day with the exception of a small number of convenience stores which are run by franchise partners.
M&S opening times vary by individual store and customers should check the hours of their local store online or on the M&S app.
Check local store opening times here
Morrisons
Morrisons store opening times vary between branches but all stores will be closed by 7pm on Christmas Eve.
Christmas Eve: Most stores open 6am-6pm
Christmas Day: Closed
Boxing Day: 9am-6pm
New Year’s Eve: 7am-7pm
New Year’s Day: 9am-6pm
2 January: Normal trading hours in England and Wales, 9am-6pm in Scotland
Check local store opening times here
Sainsbury’s
Sainsbury’s stores will operate extended hours leading up to Christmas, with supermarkets and convenience stores open from 6am to 11pm from 18 to 23 December.
Christmas Eve: Supermarkets open 6am-7pm, convenience stores 6am-9pm
Christmas Day: All stores closed
Boxing Day: Supermarkets open 9am-6pm, convenience stores 9am-9pm
27-30 December: Normal trading hours
New Year’s Eve: Supermarkets open 10am-7pm, convenience stores 6am-9pm
New Year’s Day: Supermarkets open 8am-8pm, convenience stores 9am-9pm
2 January (Scotland): Supermarkets open 8am-8pm, convenience stores operate normal hours
Petrol filling stations open 30 minutes before and close 30 minutes after the main store, except on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve when they open an hour later. Customers are advised to check the store locator for specific opening times.
Check local store opening times here
Tesco
Tesco opening hours vary across the festive period, so customers are encouraged to check the store locator for specific times, including petrol filling stations, as these may differ from main store hours.
Christmas Eve: Extras and Superstores close at 7pm (variations on the Isle of Man). Express stores close by 10pm, with some closing at 7pm.
Christmas Day: All stores and petrol stations are closed.
Boxing Day: Extras and Superstores open 9am-6pm. Most Express stores open 9am-7pm, with larger Express stores closing at 6pm.
27-30 December: Normal hours, with some local variations.
New Year’s Eve: Extras and Superstores close at 7pm. Most Express stores close by 10pm, with larger ones closing at 7pm.
New Year’s Day: Extras and Superstores in England, Wales and NI open 9am-6pm. In Scotland all stores will trade 11am-6pm.
Scottish stores follow specific Hogmanay hours, with Extras and Superstores trading 8am-7pm and Express stores 8am-8pm. All other stores revert to normal trading hours.
Check local store opening times here
Waitrose
Waitrose and Little Waitrose stores will close early on Christmas Eve – check your branch for specific opening hours. Stores are closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Outside of these days, the opening hours for Waitrose stores vary based on location. The retailer advises customers to check times of individual shops by using the branch finder page on its website.
For New Year’s Day, most shops will be open for trading with reduced hours.
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