To think that all shops should be shut on Boxing Day?

[Terfing]

With the exception of a few pharmacies etc.

About ten years ago, I worked in retail as a student. We would close early on Christmas Eve and not open again until the 27th.

I have a younger family member who got a temporary retail xmas job this year. At their interview, they were told that they would have to work Boxing Day, for which they are getting no extra pay. Even worse, they have to stay late on Christmas Eve and come in early on Boxing Day to help set up the sale.

AIBU to find this very sad? Can people really not go more than one day without shopping? We could ten years ago, and nobody died! What changed?!?

I agree.

But would love to know which shop it is that doesn't pay extra on boxing day.

I work for one. They get at least double time. Apart from the members of staff who get paid an hour more instead for every hour they work, year round.

I'm an atheist but I love the fact that The Entertainer shuts on Sundays and currently has a nativity scene in its window. Whether this translates into me spending more money there, I'm unsure but specific offers aside, I'd choose them over a competitor

I digress. OP YANBU. However, in the current retail market no one is going to make a move that could potentially lose them money.

All well and good that hospitals etc are open... business as usual but have you ever thought how the staff may need to grab a pint of milk on their way home home after a 10 ‘day’ night shift ending on Boxing Day. They don’t get paid a penny more for working Xmas etc either.

It’s not just shops which are open on Boxing Day. Hundreds of thousands of people work in the hospitality and leisure industries, too. Pubs, hotels, restaurants, petrol stations, cinemas, gyms etc etc are all open as normal.

Boxing Day is also one of the biggest days in the sporting calendar with full programs of football fixtures in all professional leagues and horse racing happening at courses all over the country. This means that for thousands of stewards, catering staff, security staff, ground staff, bus drivers, bookies and media workers it’s business as usual. Not to mention the players who have their Christmas Day hijacked for travelling if they are playing away.

Yes, shop workers have to work a lot at this time of year, but they’re not the only ones and they’re not a special case.

Yes, they should close.

If the shops are busy Boxing Day then it shows there’s a good reason for them to be open. I work in a restaurant and xmas day is my only day off. I’m quite glad that costcutter is open from 9-2 as I’m sure I will need something and I am doing a 12 hour shift tomorrow.

@Notacluethisxmas Curry’s don’t pay a penny extra, give no option to work it or not, and OH is working Christmas Eve, Boxing Day, NY eve and NY day with annual leave not permitted. He’s also not had any kind of pay rise in four years. Horrible company.

SkeletonSkins wow. That's shocking.

Do hospitals not pay enhancements any more snowglobe i used to get double time and a day off in lieu?

Shops do not need to be open on Boxing Day. If people weren’t greedy, wanting stuff cheap in the sale, shops wouldn’t open if no one went!

Hardly any ships pay extra for Boxing Day now.
Pubs are even worse, dps pub was open xmas day last year and the pay was single time. The chain is Fullers so not a little company that can’t afford a bit extra - they don’t pay above single time for anything

Another here who agrees.
Ridiculous that some people can't cope without shopping for 2 days.
I appreciate that it is a big day for sporting fixtures, but they don't usually start until a lot later in the day, and tend to be staff that weren't working until late on Christmas Eve.
Obviously emergency service / carers

YANBU No reason for the shops to be open on boxing day or even xmas eve, lets have a rest.

would love to know which shop it is that doesn't pay extra on boxing day

On a previous thread loads of people said they didnt get paid extra for bank holidays, i was one of them

They cant all work for the same shops

I worked in a supermarket one xmas and on boxing day as i arrived for work there was a crowd of people in the car park, I panicked a bit and thought 'oh no, what's happened' and went over to the crowd but lo and bebloodyhold, they were queueing to go into the shop and spend their crimbo money

The shop on my street is even open on Xmas day.

Agreed.

That is awful (Curry’s).

I have no sympathy for people working Christmas Eve and NYE for no extra pay - they’re not bank holidays. But bank holidays you should definitely get higher pay.

I've lived in Islamic countries and shops are open over Islamic holidays, and often the same deal with sales, etc. so people are working either side of whatever holiday.

I would love to have "dry days" in the UK where no alcohol is served anywhere 😆

Sainsburys don't pay any extra for boxing day or any day, they pay low wages and working full time there it is still a struggle to pay the rent each month, I had a benefits review with my housing association and apparently all us supermarket workers don't earn enough and even working full time we are entitled to working tax credits, dreadful eh?!

Maybe open from 11am to 3pm or something?

But I am not a fan of 24/7, 365 shopping either. Plan and buy beforehand. Everyone needs a break.

YANBU. I'm going to avoid shopping on Boxing day - if no one went they wouldn't open.

I don't think shops should open. There's no need and it's such a shame that it's becoming so 'normal.'

My Mum works in a supermarket. Boxing Day and New Year's Day are 'voluntary' which is how they get away with not paying any extra. But if there aren't enough 'volunteers' the shop is still expected to open and run as normal anyway, so there's a lot of pressure for staff to work.

I agree. Change needs to come from the customers. We all need to refuse to shop on this day!

What's it like in other European countries, I wonder?

NHS get time and a half for boxing day.Were are used to shifts and I have rarely run out of essential good due to them.
We used to finish good shops because shops were closed from Christmas Eve afternoon until at least the day after boxing day or longer if boxing day was a Saturday,the Sunday off and Monday bank holiday.We managed.
Now the shops are only Closed Christmas day and I can't imagine where all the food I saw being purchased is being eaten.