Discount supermarket with 960 shops to close stores for three days this Christmas
A MAJOR discount supermarket is to shut the vast majority of its stores for three days over the festive period.
Lidl has revealed its Christmas opening hours and will close all branches on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Most of its stores will be closed on Boxing Day too, although shoppers are urged to check their local stores’ opening hours.
You can do this by using the retailer’s branch locator tool on its website or via the Lidl Plus app.
Lidl said most stores outside the M25 and Wales will be closed on December 26.
Lidl, which runs over 960 branches across the UK, joins a host of other retailers who have confirmed they will close stores on Boxing Day to give staff a well-earned break.
It’s common practice for shops across the UK to close on Christmas Day, but not all retailers shut branches on Boxing Day.
Poundland has said it will shut all its branches on Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year.
Lidl rival Aldi is also closing all its branches over the same two-day period, as are Home Bargains, John Lewis and Waitrose.
Wickes will also shutter all its branches for three days this Christmas.
It’s not the first year retailers have decided to give staff time off over the festive break either.
Aldi, Iceland, John Lewis, and Poundland all pulled down their shutters on Boxing Day in 2023.
While others opted to operate with reduced hours instead, including Sainsbury’s, Primark, Morrisons and Tesco.
We’ll keep you updated on the major chains’ plans for this year as they’re announced.
It’s always worth bearing in mind, opening hours for your local branch over Christmas may vary.
But most retailers have store locator tools which you can use to find out your local branch’s opening hours.
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.