What Shoppers Can Expect: Easter 2025 Supermarket Opening Hours
The Easter 2025 weekend will feel a bit different for anyone planning a big shop—it’s that time of year when nearly every major UK supermarket tweaks its schedule. In fact, if you’re used to picking up a roast or the missing chocolate eggs on Easter Sunday, you might be out of luck. The reason? Trading laws across England and Wales force most large supermarkets to shut their doors for that day.
Let’s break down what this looks like. Tesco, probably the most familiar name in the game, keeps things almost normal: open 6am to 10pm on Good Friday and sticking to usual hours on Easter Saturday. But on Easter Sunday, just like the rest—closed. When Bank Holiday Monday arrives, Tesco opens up from 8am to 6pm. Sainsbury’s and Asda follow close behind with similar patterns: open as usual on Friday and Saturday, fully closed on Easter Sunday, and reduced hours on Monday (Sainsbury’s, for example, opts for 8am–8pm).
Aldi and Lidl both cut the lights on Easter Sunday too. Aldi’s Bank Holiday Monday shift runs from 8am to 8pm, while Lidl stretches opening hours just a bit more, 9am to 9pm. Morrisons, another big player, isn’t bucking the trend: closed on Sunday, but back at 7am on Monday, closing a bit earlier at 8pm. Co-op’s smaller shops might be open, but their larger stores take Sunday off as well—if you count on a last-minute dash to the local Co-op, you might want to double-check in advance.
Why the Strict Rules, and Where to Find an Open Store?
Much of this shuffle comes down to legal trading restrictions. Laws in England and Wales mean any supermarket bigger than 280 square metres must be closed on Easter Sunday—there’s no wiggle room for the giants. If you’re really in a jam, you may have better luck at convenience or petrol-station stores, which often stay open with Sunday trading hours. Smaller Co-ops, some Sainsbury’s Locals, and other convenience branches might have reduced hours, but at least won’t be shuttered all day.
Another thing to remember: shop hours can change from one spot to the next, especially in places like Scotland or Northern Ireland where rules differ (some stores even ignore Easter Sunday restrictions altogether). Waitrose & Partners, on the other hand, pretty much tells shoppers to check local times, since every branch likes to do its own thing.
- Tesco: Good Friday 6am–10pm, Easter Sunday closed, Monday 8am–6pm
- Asda: Good Friday 7am–10pm, Easter Sunday closed, Monday 7am–10pm
- Lidl: Easter Sunday closed, Monday 9am–9pm
- Sainsbury’s: Friday and Saturday as normal, Easter Sunday closed in England/Wales, Monday 8am–8pm
- Aldi: Easter Sunday closed, Monday 8am–8pm
- Morrisons: Easter Sunday closed, Monday 7am–8pm
- Co-op: Large shops closed Sunday; smaller convenience stores may open briefly
- Waitrose & Partners: Varies by location
If you’ve got a big Easter lunch in mind or just need to restock the fridge, plan ahead—and, seriously, check your local supermarket’s website or app. There’s nothing worse than finding the parking lot empty and locked up when you’ve got a crowd waiting at home.
