Two more retailers with over 200 locations to close all stores and give staff a break on Boxing Day
TWO more major retailers have confirmed they will shut all their stores on Boxing Day to give staff a break.
CDS Superstores, trading as The Range and Wilko, will close all their branches on December 25 and 26.
Alex Simpkin, chief executive officer for CDS, said: “This year’s been another great one for the business.
“We’re grateful to all our incredible team for their dedication and hard work and believe everyone deserves a well-earned rest during the festive season.
“So, in appreciation, we’ll be closing our stores on Boxing Day to give our team the opportunity to enjoy a full two-day break with their families.”
It is common practice for retailers to close their stores on Christmas Day but not all shut branches the following day.
The Range closed its more than 200 stores on Boxing Day last year, with its five Wilko stores also shutting.
The Sun has asked if both of the chains will also be shutting on New Year’s Day this year and will update this story when we hear back.
Either way, to avoid any doubt around Christmas, you want to make sure you’re checking your local branchs’ opening hours ahead of a trip.
You can do this by using either retailer’s store locator tools, which are found on their websites.
The Range and Wilko are not the first to announce they will close their stores on Boxing Day to give staff a two-day break.
Aldi confirmed it will also shut on December 25 and 26, as will Home Bargains, John Lewis and Waitrose.
Last year, a host of shops closed their doors on Boxing Day to give staff time off.
DIY giants Wickes, Homebase and Screwfix all shut their branches on December 26, joined by supermarkets M&S and Lidl.
Poundland, which currently runs over 850 shops in the UK and Republic of Ireland, also closed its branches on Boxing Day.
If you’re keen to find out whether your favourite retailer will close its branches on Boxing Day, it’s worth keeping an eye on social media.
Chains often publicise their festive opening hours on X and Facebook.
You can also try using a retailer’s store locator tool which should tell you the opening hours for your local branch.
Most of the time, it will also feature a number you can call to find out opening times.
The latest announcement from CDS Superstores comes after it swooped in to relaunch Wilko online after the latter fell into administration last year.
The company also relaunched Wilko stores as well, and currently runs six across England including in Luton, Plymouth and Poole.
In other retail news, huge homeware name Tupperware Brands has filed for bankruptcy in the US.
Plus, TGI Fridays has collapsed into administration with 87 stores put up for sale.
Why do retailers close on Boxing Day?
BOXING Day is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.So why do retailers decide to close?
Senior Consumer Reporter Olivia Marshall explains.
Closing on Boxing Day allows staff to have a well-deserved break after the busy Christmas period.
This can help improve staff morale and reduce burnout.
It also provides them with an opportunity to spend time with their families and friends during the festive season.
For some retailers, the cost of opening on Boxing Day, including staffing and operational expenses, may not be justified by the expected sales revenue, especially if customer footfall is low.
With the rise of online shopping, some retailers may focus on online sales and promotions rather than opening physical stores on Boxing Day.
For some businesses, it may also be a a long-standing tradition for them to remain closed on Boxing Day.
From a practical perspective, the day after Christmas can be used for inventory checks, restocking, and preparing for post-Christmas sales.
This can be more effectively done without the distraction of serving customers.