As the festive season approaches, planning your Christmas food shop becomes a top priority for households across the United Kingdom. The familiar scenes of bustling aisles, seasonal music, and the rush for essential ingredients are set to return. To navigate this busy period smoothly, knowing when your local supermarket will be open is crucial, especially for those inevitable last-minute dashes for forgotten carrots or a pint of milk.
Essential Festive Opening Hours for Major Supermarkets
To help you plan your visits, we have compiled the confirmed opening times for leading UK supermarkets from Christmas Eve through to New Year's Day. Remember, all major supermarkets will be closed on Christmas Day. It is always advisable to check with your specific local branch, as hours can vary depending on location and store size.
Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda and More
Here is a detailed breakdown of the opening schedules for the key festive dates:
Tesco: On Christmas Eve, most stores will open from 6am to 7pm, with Express stores operating from 7am to 10pm. After being closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day hours are 9am to 6pm (Express: 9am to 7pm). For New Year's Eve, hours mirror Christmas Eve, and on New Year's Day, main stores are open 9am to 6pm, while Express stores trade from 8am to 10pm.
Sainsbury's: Christmas Eve sees main stores open 6am to 7pm, with convenience stores open until 9pm. After the Christmas Day closure, Boxing Day hours are 9am to 6pm (convenience: 9am to 9pm). On New Year's Eve, main stores are open 10am to 7pm, and on New Year's Day from 8am to 8pm.
Aldi & Lidl: Both discounters share similar schedules. They will be open on Christmas Eve from 7am to 6pm. They will then be closed on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, they will operate from 8am to 6pm.
Asda: Plans to open from 5am to 7pm on Christmas Eve. After the Christmas Day closure, Boxing Day hours are 9am to 6pm. New Year's Eve hours are 7am to 7pm, and New Year's Day from 9am to 6pm.
Co-op: On Christmas Eve, stores will close at 7pm (convenience stores at 8pm). After Christmas Day, Boxing Day hours are 10am to 7pm. New Year's Eve follows the Christmas Eve pattern, and New Year's Day hours are 10am to 7pm.
Waitrose: Will be open on Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve. The chain is closed on Boxing Day and New Year's Day. On Christmas Day, only Welcome Break service stations and Shell forecourts will trade.
Marks and Spencer: Stores will be open from 6am to 7pm on Christmas Eve and from 8am to 7pm on New Year's Eve. They will be closed on Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
Planning Ahead for a Stress-Free Festive Season
To avoid the pre-Christmas rush, many supermarkets offer pre-order delivery services for festive food, allowing you to get everything you need delivered to your door. If you do need to visit, aiming for off-peak times like early mornings or late evenings is highly recommended.
For Morrisons, while official confirmation for 2025 is pending, hours are expected to be similar to previous years. In England and Wales, this typically means Christmas Eve from 5am to 6pm, closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day from 9am to 6pm, New Year's Eve from 7am to 7pm, and New Year's Day from 9am to 6pm. Scottish stores may have slightly different hours.
With this guide to Christmas supermarket opening times, you can organise your essential shopping and focus on enjoying the festive period with family and friends.
