Major fashion chain with over 458 stores to shut its doors for two days over Christmas
A MAJOR fashion chain with 458 stores is the latest to reveal that it will not open on Boxing Day.
Next has confirmed its hundreds of fashion and homeware stores will be closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Shoppers looking to nab a post-Christmas bargain will have to wait until Decemeber 27 to shop sales in-store.
But the retailer said it will launch an online sale starting on Christmas Eve and carrying on over the festive period.
Next joins a host of other retailers who are planning to close on the Bank Holidays to give staff a break.
This includes M&S, which told shoppers they would also have to wait until December 27 to get in stores.
John Lewis will shutter the majority of its estate for the two days to allow teams to celebrate the festivities.
It’s common practice for shops across the UK to close on Christmas Day, but not all retailers shut branches on Boxing Day.
Poundland has also said it will shut all its branches on Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year, as will The Range and Wilko.
Lidl and rival Aldi are also closing all of their branches over the same two-day period, as are Home Bargains, Homebase and Waitrose.
Iceland will also close all but 76 of its more than 1,000 stores on Boxing Day this year, but the major supermarkets – Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Asda – will open sites.
Wickes will shutter all its branches for three days this Christmas, with teams also being given Christmas Eve off to spend with family.
Many retailers now close on Boxing Day to give staff extra time off over the holidays.
Aldi, Iceland, John Lewis, and Poundland all did not open on the 26th last year.
While others, such as Sainsbury’s, Primark, Morrisons and Tesco, opted to operate with reduced hours instead.
You should be aware that hours can always vary from branch to branch.
But most retailers have store locators tools which show where you nearest shop is and the opening hours.
Why do retailers close on Boxing Day?
BOXING Day is one of the busiest shopping days of the year.
So why do retailers decide to close? Senior Consumer Reporter Olivia Marshall explains.
Closing on Boxing Day allows staff to have a well-deserved break after the busy Christmas period.
This can help improve staff morale and reduce burnout.
It also provides them with an opportunity to spend time with their families and friends during the festive season.
For some retailers, the cost of opening on Boxing Day, including staffing and operational expenses, may not be justified by the expected sales revenue, especially if customer footfall is low.
With the rise of online shopping, some retailers may focus on online sales and promotions rather than opening physical stores on Boxing Day.
For some businesses, it may also be a a long-standing tradition for them to remain closed on Boxing Day.
From a practical perspective, the day after Christmas can be used for inventory checks, restocking, and preparing for post-Christmas sales.
This can be more effectively done without the distraction of serving customers.