There are many things to love about Easter – chocolate eggs, long weekends and fun with the family.
Easter weekend will begin with Good Friday (April 18) next week, with a normal Saturday following before ending on Easter Sunday (April 20) and Easter Monday (April 21).
But what if you forget to stock up for the four-day weekend? Or your midnight Easter egg munching leaves your cupboards empty?
Knowing where to dash for last-minute supplies is all you need to save the day.
But while you’re lounging around stuffing your face with chocolate, so too will many of the people who staff your favourite shops.
Are supermarkets and shops open on Easter Sunday?
The vast majority of supermarkets in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be closed on Easter Sunday.
Any shop bigger than 280 square metres must be closed on Easter Sunday by law, according to government rules on retailers’ trading hours in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Scotland is the exception, where many stores will remain open, operating under Sunday trading hours.
When is Aldi open over Easter weekend?
- Good Friday: 8am-10pm
- Saturday: 8am-10pm
- Easter Sunday: Closed (England & Wales), open as usual (Scotland)
- Easter Monday: 8am-8pm
You can use Aldi’s store finder tool on its website to find your local shop’s trading hours.
When is Asda open over Easter weekend?
About 1,100 Asda stores will shutter on Easter Sunday across England, Wales and Northern Ireland – a result of laws restricting large stores from opening on certain bank holidays.
- Good Friday: 7am-10pm
- Saturday: 7am-10pm
- Easter Sunday: Closed (England & Wales), open as usual (Scotland)
- Easter Monday: 7am-10pm
If you want to double-check your local Asda’s opening times, try the company’s store locator.
When is Co-op open over Easter weekend?
Co-ops can vary a lot in size, from medium-sized stores to teeny tiny petrol station spots. As they tend to be on the smaller side, some Co-ops don’t have to shutter over the Easter break in line with government policies.
It’ll be business as usual on Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Monday, while mid-sized branches will close on Easter Sunday in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Local convenience stores should be open as usual throughout the long-weekend, however.
As always, check your local Co-op’s opening hours with the supermarket’s branch finder.
When is Iceland open over Easter weekend?
Frozen food retailer Iceland will be open as usual over Easter. Well, if you live in Scotland.
Stores in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will be closed on Easter Sunday.
They will, however, be open as usual on Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Monday. Shopping centre Iceland stores may be different, though.
Iceland’s store locator will have you covered if you need to check when your local is open for business.
When is Lidl open over Easter weekend?
Lidl, the German grocer, will operate its usual trading hours over Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Monday across the UK.
But only Scotland will see Lidl open on Easter Sunday.
Your local Lidl’s trading hours can be found on the supermarket’s store tracker.
When is Morrisons open over Easter weekend?
Like most supermarket chains, your nearest Morrisons being open over Easter depends on where in the UK you live.
- Good Friday: 7am – 10pm
- Saturday: Open as usual
- Easter Sunday: Closed (England & Wales), open as usual (Scotland)
- Easter Monday: 7am – 8pm
Just punch in your postcode on the Morrison store locator tool to check opening times.
When is Sainsbury’s open over Easter weekend?
In a twist, not all Sainsbury’s in England, Wales and Northern Ireland will be shut for certain on Easter Sunday.
- Good Friday: 7am to 10pm
- Easter Saturday: 7am to 10pm
- Easter Sunday: Larger stores closed, Local stores will open from 7am to 10pm (England and Wales), open as usual (Scotland stores will open in line with Sunday trading hours
- Easter Monday: Larger stores reduced opening times of 8am to 8pm. Local stores open from 7am to 10pm
Sainsbury’s ‘find a store’ webpage can also be used to find out when your local store will open.
When is Tesco open over Easter weekend?
Tesco come in three main sizes: Express, Metro and Extra. Once again, government laws mean only some Tesco can open.
It’ll be usual trading hours on Good Friday, but be warned that there will be Tesco branches that shutter earlier.
All Tesco superstores will be closed in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scottish ones will be open from 8am to 8pm.
The bulk of Tesco Express stores will be open up and down the UK over Easter Sunday.
On Easter Monday, most Tesco stores will be open but may operate reduced hours and close by 8pm.
You can see what times your local store opens and closes here.
When is Waitrose open over Easter weekend?
Last and certainly not least, Waitrose opening times will differ across the UK. If they’re even open at all, that is.
- Good Friday: 8am -8pm
- Saturday: Waitrose shops will trade normal hours.
- Easter Sunday: Larger stores closed, smaller Waitrose open
- Easter Monday: 8am-8pm
You can use Waitrose’s ‘find a store’ page to check if and when your local store is open.
This article was first published on March 31, 2024.
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