UK Shops Open Christmas 2025: Your Complete Guide to Festive Opening Hours
Understanding Christmas Shopping Hours in the UK
As Christmas 2025 arrives, Christmas Day in the UK (Thursday, 25 December 2025) is famously quiet on the retail front, with shoppers needing to plan their festive shopping carefully around adjusted opening hours. Understanding when shops are open during this period has become increasingly important for households across the country, particularly as two-thirds of those surveyed revealed they will have to heavily rely on last-minute supermarket deals to afford Christmas this year but changing store opening times could impact their ability to secure these savings.
Major Supermarkets Christmas Day Closures
The most critical information for shoppers is that all major supermarket brands are closed on Christmas Day (including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons, M&S, Iceland, Co‑op, Waitrose). This nationwide closure reflects both legal restrictions and retailers’ commitment to giving staff time with their families. However, all major chains closing on Christmas Day. Most will also shut on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, though some convenience stores will stay open.
Where to Find Essentials on Christmas Day
Despite widespread closures, a few types of places are reliably open — especially motorway service stations, many petrol forecourts, and a rota of pharmacies. For those requiring last-minute essentials, motorway service areas are required to be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year — including Christmas Day. Additionally, many stations (particularly major networks and 24-hour sites) will trade, although hours can vary and it’s smart to check ahead.
Boxing Day and Fashion Retail
The retail landscape continues to evolve, with Next has confirmed that all UK stores remain closed on Boxing Day. Physical shops typically reopen at 6am on December 27. Similarly, Several major retailers have confirmed full Boxing Day closures across the North East in 2025. All North East branches of The Range will close on Christmas Day and Boxing Day for the third consecutive year, reflecting a growing trend of extended festive closures.
Planning Your Festive Shopping
Individual store hours may vary slightly depending on location, particularly for smaller branches or those in rural areas. To avoid any inconvenience, we recommend checking the specific opening hours of your local store online before heading out. Most major retailers provide store locators on their websites, making it easier for customers to confirm exact opening times for their nearest branch during this busy period.