Whether you’re a last minute shopper or missed a crucial item on your shopping list, here are details of supermarket and petrol station opening times across Christmas and St Stephen’s Day.
Trolleys outside a supermarket (file photo)
After weeks of preparation, Christmas Day has finally arrived and households across Ireland are settling in to enjoy a day of rest, family time and celebration.
But if you’ve suddenly realised you’re missing a key ingredient for dinner or a last minute gift, there’s some bad news – as it is a public holiday, most shops and supermarkets will be closed.
There are a few exceptions, however. Some convenience stores, petrol stations and pharmacies may be open, often with reduced hours.
Looking beyond Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day will also see a shift in trading hours, with many supermarkets choosing to stay closed or operate on a limited schedule.
Here’s our guide to the Christmas supermarket opening hours.
Dunnes
Dunnes Stores is a firm favourite for Christmas essentials, and in the run up to the big day, some locations extended their opening hours until as late as 2am.
However, all Dunnes Stores across the country will remain closed on both Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day. Find your local store’s opening hours here.
Tesco
Like Dunnes, Tesco also offered extended hours in the days leading up to Christmas.
All Tesco stores will close on Christmas Day. On St Stephen’s Day, some stores will stay closed, while others will reopen from 10am to 8pm. Find your local store’s opening hours here.
Aldi
Aldi stores nationwide will be closed on Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day.
Christmas Day: CLOSEDSt Stephen’s Day: CLOSEDSat 27 Dec: 8am – 9pmSun 28 Dec: 9am – 9pmMon 29 Dec: 8am – 9pmTues 30 Dec: 8am – 9pmNew Year’s Eve: 8am – 7pmNew Year’s Day: CLOSED
A spokesperson noted that these are standard store hours and some non-standard stores may operate differently.You can check your local store here.
Lidl
Lidl will also close all stores nationwide on Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day.
Christmas Day: CLOSEDSt Stephen’s Day: CLOSEDSat 27 Dec: 8am – 10pmSun 28 Dec: 9am – 9pmMon 29 Dec: 8am – 10pmTues 30 Dec: 8am – 10pmNew Year’s Eve: 8am – 6pmNew Year’s Day: CLOSEDSuperValu
SuperValu stores are independently operated, meaning opening hours can vary by location over the festive period.
All stores will close on Christmas Day, while some will reopen on St Stephen’s Day at 10am and close early at 6pm. You can find your local supermarket using their store locator here.
Petrol stations
As with most retail outlets, it is uncommon for petrol stations to remain open on Christmas Day. However, there are exceptions, particularly those along major motorways, although they may operate with reduced hours.
It is strongly advised to check with your local petrol station before travelling on Christmas Day to avoid disappointment.
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