Aldi will be closing doors to all its UK stores on Boxing Day this year so staff get to “spend more time with their families”.
After what has been yet another jam-packed year for the retail industry, and with the run-up to Christmas known to be one of the busiest periods of them all, many workers have been left feeling like they could do with a little extra time off.
And this is why Aldi has announced it will be shutting up shop on a major festive bank holiday this year.
The popular supermarket retailer – which currently has over 1,000 stores across the UK, and employs around 36,000 people – has confirmed that it will close all of its stores on Boxing Day, just as it has done in several years prior – with the company saying it’s to once again say thank you to its tens of thousands of employees “for all their hard work”.
Aldi is closing all UK stores on Boxing Day this year / Credit: Aldi
Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket will close on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year, before reopening as usual on Wednesday 27 December, so shoppers can pick up all the essentials they may need before New Year’s Day.
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As well as the planned bank holiday closures, Aldi is also reminding customers that its opening hours will vary in the run-up to Christmas too – with the supermarket operating extended hours so that everyone has the chance to stock-up on festive food, drink, and more ahead of the big day.
“We recognise that Christmas is an important time for many of our colleagues, and keeping our stores closed on Boxing Day gives them more time to spend with their families,” explained Richard Thornton, the Communications Director at Aldi UK.
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“Customers will have plenty to look forward to in the run-up to Christmas, with more of Aldi’s brand-new Christmas ranges arriving in stores over the next few weeks.”
The retailer has made the decision so staff can “spend more time with their families” / Credit: Aldi
Aldi’s confirmation that all UK stores will be shut on the Boxing Day bank holiday follows in the footsteps of fellow discount retailer Home Bargains, which was one of the first companies to announce back in mid-September that it’ll be closing all its stores across the UK on both Boxing Day and New Year’s Day to make sure staff get a “well deserved break”.
Several other retailers will also be closing doors on selected dates over the festive period for similar reasons cited by Aldi and Home Bargains.
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The news that Aldi is closing this Boxing Day also comes after the company launched a massive festive recruitment drive, with the hopes of welcoming 3,000 new staff members, both temporary and permanent, to its teams at stores right across the UK ready for the busy Christmas period.
Some of the roles available include Store Assistants – with starting pay for this being an industry-leading £11.40 per hour nationally – managerial positions, cleaners, and more.
Inside Anthropologie as beautiful new store opens in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Anthropologie has finally arrived in Manchester, opening a beautiful new store in the Royal Exchange.
The beloved lifestyle brand is famed for its curated range of clothing, shoes, accessories, activewear, beauty, wellness, furniture, home décor, bridal, and loads more.
Anthropologie has taken over a two-storey unit overlooking St Ann’s Square, which opens today right in time for the Black Friday sales.
Inside, shoppers will find everything from denim to dinnerware, plus delights like martini-shaped handbags, apres ski-inspired glassware, and cosy knitwear.
Brands inside include Damson Madder, Tala, Maeve, Vagabond, and Never Fully Dressed.
There’ll be live music by local artist Maya Blandy, and seasonal drinks from 3pm, for a festive shopping experience.
Inside Anthropologie ManchesterMartini-shaped bags in AnthropologieHomewaresShoes in AnthropologieInside Anthropologie ManchesterTala is in storeThe denim shopBrands include Maeve by Anthropologie
And later down the line, Anthropologie Manchester is hosting a Winter Warmer Day on 9 December, with festive hot drinks and a gift personalisation station – plus a festive goodie bag for the first 100 customers to spend £100 between 9 and 11 December.
Anthropologie was founded in 1992 and has since expanded to have more than 200 stores globally, launching three new UK sites this year (Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow).
Matt Hilgeman, Managing Director of Anthropologie International, said: “We’re excited to open our third and final store for 2025 in the heart of Manchester city.
“As part of our Northern expansion, the new store will showcase a curated assortment of our most-loved brands, exclusive partywear, and our signature ‘Only at Anthropologie’ gifting.
“We can’t wait to open our doors and meet the community.”
Anthropologie Manchester is now from Wednesday 26 November at the Royal Exchange on St Ann’s Square.
Aldi announces ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its 1,000+ stores across UK – this is why
Emily Sergeant
Aldi has announced that it’ll be closing the doors of all of its stores across the UK for 62 hours next month for a ‘special’ reason.
Christmas is always known to be one of the busiest periods of the year for the retail industry, and Boxing Day has a reputation for being the ultimate day for shopping deals and discounts in the UK – but this year, just like it has done on several years in the past, Aldi has made the decision to close all of its stores nationwide on this bank holiday.
The supermarket retailer says it wants to thank its colleagues ‘for all their hard work’ throughout the year by giving them some extra time to spend with their families.
This means that all Aldi stores will be closed on both 25 and 26 December.
That’s not all though, as stores will also be closed on New Year’s Day, and will reopen once again on Friday 2 January 2026.
Aldi has announced a ‘special’ 62-hour closure of all its UK stores / Credit: Aldi UK
Opening hours at different Aldi stores across the UK will vary in the lead-up to Christmas, so it’s important to check the times for your local store, but the retailer has confirmed that most branches will be operating extended hours to ‘ensure customers can stock up ahead of the big day’
In the interim period between Christmas and New Year, stores will reopen as usual on Saturday 27 through to Tuesday 30 December, with reduced hours also likely on New Year’s Eve.
Speaking on the decision to shut up shop for a full 62-hour period this festive season, Rebecca Heley, who is the Communications Director at Aldi UK, said: “Christmas is a special time, and we want to ensure all of our colleagues have the opportunity to relax and enjoy it with their loved ones.
“That’s why all Aldi stores will be closed on Boxing Day this year.
Emily Sergeant -
7th November 2023 
