Retailers extend store trading hours for Christmas
Hours extended to ensure customers can complete their shop in safety
Print8 December 2020
A number of grocery retailers have introduced extended opening hours over the festive period. Tesco Ireland has announced the group will extend opening hours across its stores “to support a safe and easy shopping experience for customers during the festive season”; with over 40 of the retailer’s large stores due to open for 24 hours trading during Christmas week.
Select Tesco extra and superstores will open from 7am on Monday, 21 December on a rolling 24-hour basis. More general extended store openings across its entire 151 store portfolio will be in place from Friday, 18 December, as follows:
- Monday 14th – Thursday 17th December normal store hours – 7 or 8am until 10 or 11pm as standard per store;
- From Friday 18th December, extended hours in majority of stores 7am – Midnight; with over 40 stores opening for rolling 24 hours from 6am Monday 21st until 7pm Christmas Eve, Thursday 24th December.
All stores will close at 7pm latest on Christmas Eve “to support colleagues to return home to their families in time for Santa’s arrival,” Tesco said.
In the weeks leading to Christmas until Friday 18 December, Tesco will continue to support customers who are over 65, family carers and those who are extremely medically vulnerable with dedicated access to stores pre-9am Monday to Friday.
During Christmas week, Tesco will also be providing this group of customers with priority access to stores all day with Tesco colleagues manning store car parks, external queues and entrances. “Here to Help” colleague teams will be on hand to welcome customers to the store and support with additional assistance with their shopping if they need it.
“The safety of colleagues and customers remains our number one priority and we continue to make changes within our stores as we prepare for the Christmas trading period,” said Kari Daniels, CEO, Tesco Ireland.
“We hope that these extended hours, up to 24 hours in 40 of our larger stores during Christmas week, will help make the shopping trip easier for our customers,” she added. “Our store teams have gone above and beyond this year and we acknowledge their continued hard work in helping serve our shoppers this Christmas.”
Tesco stores will be replenished with daily deliveries, often multiple times per day with fresh produce and family favourites that customers need in the run up to Christmas. Tesco continues to invest in store safety in line with public health protection. Customers visiting stores
Aldi announces extended opening hours
Aldi Ireland is also extending the opening hours of its 145 Irish stores in the run-up to Christmas in a bid “to ensure shoppers can do all their Christmas shopping quickly and safely, at a time that suits them best”.
Aldi stores across the country will be open at 8am at Christmas for the very first time. Extended opening hours will be available for late shoppers also, with stores open until 11pm on Christmas week. The retailer said opening hours will vary for a small number of stores.
“Providing a safe environment for our customers and staff is our number one priority,” said Niall O’Connor, Aldi Group managing director.
“The vast majority of our stores will be open from 8am-11pm during Christmas week to spread the demand and allow customers shop when suits them best,” he added. “Our stores will be fully stocked with daily deliveries, often multiple times a day, with all of our award-wining products so customers can rest assured they will find everything they need for a special Christmas at Aldi.”
Aldi’s extended Christmas opening hours are as follows:
Friday 18th: 9am to 10pm
Saturday 19th: 9am to 10pm
Sunday 20th: 8am to 10pm
Monday 21st: 8am to 11pm
Tuesday 22nd: 8am to 11pm
Wednesday 23rd: 8am to 11pm
Thursday 24th: 8am to 7pm
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