Sainsbury’s festive hours revealed: 1 day closed, 6am–11pm 18–23 Dec—will your local be open?

With children back in class and winter closing in, shoppers are eyeing calendars, budgets and delivery slots before the rush.

Sainsbury’s has set its nationwide festive trading plan, including a full UK closure on Christmas Day and extended hours around it. The timetable affects supermarkets, convenience stores and petrol stations, with slight tweaks for Scotland on 2 January.

What Sainsbury’s has confirmed

Most Sainsbury’s supermarkets and convenience stores will open early and close late from Thursday 18 December to Tuesday 23 December, running 6am to 11pm. On Christmas Eve, trading shortens. Every store then shuts for Christmas Day. Reduced hours follow on Boxing Day. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day also run with adjusted times. Normal trading resumes between those peaks, but local variations will still apply.

All Sainsbury’s stores across the UK will close on Thursday 25 December for Christmas Day.

From 18–23 December, the vast majority of stores plan to trade 6am to 11pm to meet pre-Christmas demand.

Key dates at a glance

Petrol stations and refuelling

Sainsbury’s petrol filling stations plan to open 30 minutes before the main store and close 30 minutes after. On Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, they will start an hour later than usual. Drivers should check local notices for site-specific changes.

Why the shutters come down

Large shops in England and Wales cannot open on Christmas Day under the Christmas Day (Trading) Act 2004. Major supermarket groups also keep Scottish branches closed on the day, giving retail staff a guaranteed break. The move reflects the holiday’s cultural and religious significance, and gives teams time with family at the end of a peak trading period.

Christmas Day trading is barred for large stores in England and Wales; Sainsbury’s keeps all UK sites shut regardless.

How this affects your festive shop

The busiest days typically fall on the final weekend before Christmas and on 23 December. Extended 6am starts offer quieter early hours for fresh-food runs. Shortened hours on 24 December mean last-minute trips will face heavier queues and leaner stock on favourites like cream, stuffing and party nibbles.

• Go early 18–23 December for bulk buys and cupboard items.
• Use 24 December morning for fresh bread, produce and deli top-ups.
• Boxing Day hours suit restocking essentials and picking up marked-down festive lines.
• New Year’s Eve morning is best for party platters before the 7pm supermarket close.
• New Year’s Day carries reduced hours; plan any big shop before 8pm.

Online orders and delivery windows

Home delivery and click-and-collect slots usually book up fast for 23 and 24 December. Consider a split approach: one earlier slot for drinks, tins and household goods, then a small in-person trip for perishables on 23 December at dawn. Returns counters often run reduced staffing after Christmas; check the cut-off date on gift receipts and keep packaging intact to speed refunds.

Regional notes and exceptions

Scottish stores run 8am to 8pm on Friday 2 January, aligning with the regional bank holiday. Convenience branches in Scotland follow their typical hours that day. Across the UK, a minority of sites may vary from the pattern above due to local licensing, retail park rules or late-night restrictions. Pharmacy counters, in-store concessions and cafés often operate shorter hours than the main shop.

What to do if your branch differs

If your store has building works or sits on a managed retail park, signage on the entrance usually lists any one-off changes. Check in-store posters from early December and watch for updates near tills. Keep a fallback list of nearby convenience stores in case your closest branch trims its closing time during the period.

Smart planning tips to beat the rush

Frozen staples help you dodge last-minute scrambles. Freeze bread, pastry and even milk ahead of the final week. Switch to long-life cream for recipes that tolerate it. If you need prescription items, use the extended hours period 18–23 December; in-store pharmacies can close earlier than the shop on 24 December.

Think about transport. Buses and trains run limited services on 24 December evening, none on 25 December in many areas, and reduced timetables on 26 December. If you rely on public transport, aim for morning trips and keep grocery loads light. Drivers should time refuelling with the petrol station adjustments on 24 and 31 December.

Plan big trolleys for early mornings 18–23 December; save perishables for a swift Christmas Eve top-up.

Price checks and savings

Seasonal reductions often land late on 24 December and again on 26 December afternoon. If you are flexible on brands for party food or trimmings, those windows can trim costs. Use loyalty points on shelf-stable goods before the peak days to speed checkout and secure stock while the aisles are calmer.

Dates to circle on your calendar

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 is Thursday 1 January 2026. In Scotland, Friday 2 January is a bank holiday with shorter supermarket hours.

Final checks before you head out

Stores can deviate slightly from the schedule above. Before a big shop, confirm your branch’s times on its individual store page or posted notices. If you are travelling to an unfamiliar area, note local parking rules and allow time for queueing at peak periods. A short, early visit often saves both time and stress.