Most big-name supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day, and only a limited number of grocery chains and convenience-style food stores open with reduced hours, so it’s vital to check your exact local branch before you head out.

Key takeaway

  • Major UK chains like Tesco , Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Lidl, M&S, Asda and Morrisons are closed on Christmas Day, even if they open late on Christmas Eve and reopen on Boxing Day.
  • In the US, most full-size grocery chains close, but some supermarket brands (for example Safeway and certain regional chains) open a subset of stores on reduced hours, usually something like 8 a.m. to mid‑afternoon.
  • Convenience and drugstore chains (CVS, Walgreens, 7‑Eleven, Sheetz) are far more likely to be open and can cover basic grocery needs.

Typical Christmas Day openings

  • Often open (check local store):
    • Some Safeway and Giant supermarkets in the US, usually with shortened hours.
* Convenience/drugstore chains such as CVS, Walgreens, 7‑Eleven, and 24/7 fuel‑station shops that stock basic food.
  • Usually closed on the day itself:
    • UK supermarket brands: Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Aldi, Lidl, M&S, Morrisons, Asda, Waitrose.
* Many Australian supermarkets due to state trading‑hours laws, with only selected independents or convenience-style grocers trading.

Quick planning tips

  • Check your supermarket’s store finder or app for your postcode or ZIP code; Christmas hours often vary by individual branch even within the same chain.
  • Assume big supermarkets are closed on Christmas Day and do your “real” food shop by Christmas Eve, using convenience stores or petrol stations only for emergency top‑ups.
  • In countries with strict public‑holiday trading laws (such as parts of Australia and Germany), expect even more closures and plan as if almost everything will be shut.

Meta description: Wondering which supermarkets are open on Christmas Day? Most major grocery chains are closed, with only selected supermarkets and convenience-style stores open on reduced hours.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.