The discount supermarket giant Aldi has officially confirmed its revised opening hours for the New Year 2026 period, with significant changes affecting shoppers across the UK.
Aldi's Festive Opening Schedule
In a move to allow its staff a well-earned break, Aldi will implement adjusted trading times for the turn of the year. On Wednesday, December 31, 2025, all Aldi stores will close early at 6pm. The shops will then remain completely closed on New Year's Day, Thursday, January 1, 2026.
Normal service will resume on Friday, January 2, with stores returning to their standard hours, typically from 8am until 10pm. This follows the retailer's closure on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Full New Year 2026 Opening Hours
The confirmed schedule for the key dates is as follows:
- Tuesday, December 30: 8am – 8pm
- Wednesday, December 31 (New Year's Eve): 8am – 6pm
- Thursday, January 1 (New Year's Day): Closed
- Friday, January 2: 8am – 10pm
Back to School Bargains Launch in January
Separately, Aldi has announced the return of its popular Back to School bundle, launching on January 4, 2026. The bundle, priced at just £3.50, includes two polo shirts and a pair of trousers, available in various colours and sizes for children aged 4 to 12 years.
Furthermore, the supermarket is reintroducing its Leather School Shoes for £6.99, in sizes 10 to 4. As part of Aldi's Specialbuy range, these items will be subject to availability and will not be restocked once sold out. The school uniform range comes with a 12-month satisfaction guarantee, with the retailer emphasising the durable, recycled polyester construction of the clothing designed to withstand active school life.
Aldi's Rapid Store Expansion Continues
The announcement on trading hours comes hot on the heels of a significant expansion drive by the German retailer. Aldi recently opened five new stores within 24 hours in early December, creating approximately 200 new jobs.
The new locations are in Uxbridge, Old Kent Road, Northallerton, Pershore (all opened December 11), and Yate (opened December 12). This expansion brings Aldi's total UK store count to around 1,070, with ambitious long-term plans to grow to 1,500 stores nationwide.
Jon Neale, Real Estate Managing Director at Aldi UK, stated that opening five stores just before Christmas reflects the strong customer demand and the scale of the company's growth ambitions.
