Full list of 9 supermarkets & retail giants shutting ALL their stores on Easter Sunday – check when yours will reopen
THE full list of retailers shutting their doors today for Easter Sunday has been revealed.
Shoppers will want to take note before setting off to their local high-street as a number of big brand names will remain closed for 24 hours.
Government rules dictate that stores in England and Wales over 280 square metres in size are legally obliged to close on Easter Sunday.
Shops smaller than this can remain open, but may change their opening hours to give staff time off.
It is extremely common for retailers to alter their opening hours during bank holiday weekends, to allow customers and staff a well-earned break.
Whilst the rules differ for shops in Scotland, a number of key stores are set to remain closed across England and Wales today.
Supermarket shoppers may be disappointed to find they cannot reach the shelves of Aldi, Iceland, Lidl or Morrisons today.
Whilst Next, Boots and John Lewis have also revealed they will keep the shutters rolled down.
Home Bargains and B&M will not be serving customers either.
It is advised that residents check the website of their chosen store before leaving home to avoid disappointment.
Shops trading on Sunday
Shops exempt from the Sunday trading restrictions for large shops include:
- airport and railway station outlets
- service station outlets
- registered pharmacies selling only medicinal products and medical and surgical appliances
- farms selling mainly their own produce
- outlets wholly or mainly selling motor or bicycle supplies and accessories
- suppliers of goods to aircraft or sea-going vessels on arrival at, or departure from, a port, harbour or airport
- exhibition stands selling goods
For instance, most Waitrose stores will be shut but a handful of Little Waitrose shops could remain open.
Most Marks & Spencer‘s shops will close on Easter Sunday so shoppers will need to grab any last-minute Easter bits before then.
However, a small number of stores will be open between 9am and 6pm.
These include some of the Simply Food and Food to Go stores often found in train and petrol stations.
The opening times will vary by individual store, so you should check the hours of your local shop on M&S.com or on the M&S app.
The majority of large Express stores across England, Wales, and Isle of Man will be open from 8am – 6pm, while there will be no changes for Express stores.
Shoppers can find their local opening times using the Tesco store locator on its website.
With Easter Monday included in the bank holiday, many shops will open their doors with slightly reduced hours.
Larger chains typically provide store-specific Easter opening times on their websites or apps – using their store locators is the easiest way to find the latest information.
For smaller, independent shops, it’s worth giving them a call or checking their social media pages for updates on their opening hours.
Why do retailers close on Easter Sunday?
A legal mandate in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland dictates that all store locations over 280 square metres are required to close on Easter Sunday.
The Sunday Trading Act 1994 restricts the opening hours of larger stores on Sundays.
Smaller shops, under 280 square metres, are not subject to this law but many still choose to close to give their staff a break.
These rules also apply to locations on Christmas Day.
Scotland does not have specific restrictions on operating hours for these days.