With school runs back and budgets tight, festive shopping plans have started early as Britain’s grocers lock in winter hours.
Sainsbury’s has set its seasonal timetable for December and New Year, including a one-day UK-wide shutdown and detailed trading times for supermarkets, convenience branches and forecourts.
What Sainsbury’s has announced
The supermarket says most large stores and local branches will run extended hours in the run-up to Christmas, followed by reduced hours around the bank holidays. Supermarkets are due to open 6am to 11pm from 18 to 23 December in most locations. Supermarkets plan to trade 6am to 7pm on Christmas Eve, while convenience stores aim for 6am to 9pm.
All Sainsbury’s stores will shut on Christmas Day, giving retail staff a guaranteed day off across the UK.
Boxing Day brings a limited restart: supermarkets from 9am to 6pm, convenience stores from 9am to 9pm. From 27 to 30 December, branches return to standard local hours. New Year’s Eve shifts earlier for supermarkets, 10am to 7pm, with convenience stores open 6am to 9pm. On New Year’s Day, supermarkets plan 8am to 8pm and convenience stores 9am to 9pm.
Petrol filling stations will typically open 30 minutes before the main store and close 30 minutes after. On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, forecourts open an hour later than usual. A full-day store closure on 25 December means forecourts shut too.
Scottish branches add an extra line: supermarkets in Scotland intend to open 8am to 8pm on 2 January, while convenience stores follow their usual local pattern. Exact hours vary by site, so shoppers should check the store locator for their branch closer to the date.
The law behind Christmas Day closures
Large shops in England and Wales cannot trade on 25 December under the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004. Separate Scottish legislation also prevents big stores from opening on Christmas Day. The rules reflect how many people mark the day, and they also guarantee retail workers a rare pause during the peak season. Sainsbury’s will keep every UK store shut on the day, including smaller local branches.
Big-shop rules on 25 December apply across Great Britain, so the one-day shutdown is not a local decision but a nationwide framework.
How the hours break down
| Date | Supermarkets | Convenience stores | Petrol stations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18–23 Dec | Most 6am–11pm | Most 6am–11pm | 30 mins before/after main store |
| 24 Dec (Christmas Eve) | 6am–7pm | 6am–9pm | Opens one hour later, then 30 mins after main store close |
| 25 Dec (Christmas Day) | Closed | Closed | Closed |
| 26 Dec (Boxing Day) | 9am–6pm | 9am–9pm | 30 mins before/after main store |
| 27–30 Dec | Normal local hours | Normal local hours | 30 mins before/after main store |
| 31 Dec (New Year’s Eve) | 10am–7pm | 6am–9pm | Opens one hour later, then 30 mins after main store close |
| 1 Jan (New Year’s Day) | 8am–8pm | 9am–9pm | 30 mins before/after main store |
| 2 Jan (Scotland) | 8am–8pm | Normal local hours | 30 mins before/after main store |
Key calendar points for 2025
Christmas Eve falls on Wednesday 24 December. Christmas Day lands on Thursday 25 December. Boxing Day is Friday 26 December. New Year’s Eve is Wednesday 31 December. New Year’s Day arrives on Thursday 1 January 2026.
What this means for your shop
The long trading window from 18 to 23 December favours steady stocking rather than a single frantic trolley-dash. You can buy heavy items early, keep fresh produce for the final 48 hours, and skip the peak queues. The early closure on Christmas Eve brings a hard deadline, so plan your last fresh shop before mid-afternoon to avoid rushed aisles.
Expect higher demand for baking essentials, foil, batteries, and soft drinks from 21 December onwards. Fridges fill up quickly, so timing matters. Many households now split the list: a delivery for dry goods early in the week, then a short, targeted in-store trip on 23 or 24 December. That approach cuts waste and reduces stress at the tills.
Plan your big trolley by 22–23 December. Save fresh greens, cream and bread for the final 24 hours before closing.
Tips to beat the rush
- Shop as doors open. Lines are shortest within the first 45 minutes of trading.
- Use a handheld scanner where available to control budget and speed through checkout.
- Pre-book delivery or click-and-collect slots early; late-week slots vanish first.
- Fill the car on 23 December. Forecourts follow store hours and shut on Christmas Day.
- Check pharmacy and in-store counters. Some services keep shorter hours than the main shop.
- Freeze portions in advance. A spare loaf and pre-chopped veg remove pressure if shelves thin out.
- Keep receipt photos for seasonal returns and warranty claims after 26 December.
Why the hours vary by branch
Local staffing, delivery schedules and council rules shape opening times. City stores often open earlier and close later during the run-up week. Smaller market-town branches sometimes trim evening hours, especially on 27–30 December when footfall dips. Petrol filling stations track the main shop’s plan because the forecourt team and systems run alongside store operations.
How to check your local store
- Go to the Sainsbury’s website.
- Use the store locator and select your nearest branch.
- Review the branch page for Christmas and New Year times once published, and recheck on the day.
Useful add-ons for December planning
Think about food safety windows. Fresh poultry usually needs refrigeration at 0–5°C and cooking within the use-by date; freezing on day of purchase extends flexibility. Defrosting a medium turkey in a domestic fridge can take 48 hours, so the 23 December shop suits many households that plan to cook on the 25th.
Consider budgets and substitutions. Prices for seasonal fruit and party food often dip after 20 December as promotions rotate. If a branded centrepiece sells out, a swap to a larger joint may cut the price per kilo. Keep a short list of equivalents to avoid a second trip. If you host, allocate one “emergency shelf” for late arrivals and leftovers to keep fridges organised when shops shut.
