To think other supermarkets should follow Waitrose lead and close on Boxing Day

[Sparklybaublefest]

So hard on the workers.
My Asda is open from 8 am on boxing day, not even sunday hours.

I just find the whole thing with Next opening in the early hours totally & utterly bonkers

Just do not understand why anyone would want to get in a queue outside a shop at 5.45am!

Maybe if it was an amazing sale at Harrods or something I'd start to understand maybe

But Next is just standard overpriced high street stuff- in my opinion

@ButterflyBook

Getting paid double definitely makes it feel much more worthwhile

5 hours at work is a good shift! You get to work for double pay and don't miss out on too much of the day- it's win win!

Why just shops...why not pubs, resturants cinemas etc...after all we all have food , drink and access to films at home...what makes retail staff so special? Not being goady just a question.

I work in retail and this is my first Christmas off in over eight years.

Boxing Day is our biggest trading day of the year. We make about ten times more than we would on an average weekday on the 26th and that's not including internet sales.

Shops open because they make a lot of money on Boxing Day.

But it's my Son,s birthday tomorrow and I have nt got him a cake yet! Yes I should be more organised but every year it's my DH ritual to escape the Xmas festivities and nip out for a cake! But tbh I was a nurse for many years and I worked loads of Xmas,s so I'm a bit whatever about people working Xmas

Just do not understand why anyone would want to get in a queue outside a shop at 5.45am!

When we bought our first home, the Next sale was great for ex-display furniture if you got there super early. A wardrobe down from £650 to £200, coffee tables down from £300 to £100, dressing table down from £300 to £120, etc.

I would be very happy for all shops to be shut on Boxing Day. And also Sundays. It's really okay for people not to be able to shop occasionally. We all used to manage perfectly well.

Shops open because they make a lot of money on Boxing Day.

Yes, but if they were ALL shut on Boxing Day, surely they'd make that same money the next day?

The easiest thing to do to make this point is to put your money where your mouth is and stay at home over Christmas and Boxing Day. No shopping/restaurants/pubs/cinema etc.

There's quite a lot of people who like working round Christmas. It's not a good time to be lonely.

I love it that a few people think that others should find different jobs just for the sake of one day a year because businesses are greedy. People would still queue for a bargain on the 27th, they would likely sell the same amount of stock, it's disgusting consumerism. Most people can also surely make sure they have enough bread and milk etc for 2 days. I always enjoyed working Christmas Eve as it was a good atmosphere and the shift went quickly where it was so busy; but people arguing about a reduced sleepsuit that nobody wanted full price at 6am? No thanks.

@bridgetreilly unfortunately it doesn't really work like that.

As a shop, we make 10x what we normally make on your average weekday. There is absolutely no way my manager is going to go "okay - it might be near the end of the financial year but we're going to close and potentially lose out on 20k+ worth of takings because it's Boxing Day and you all deserve a day off!"

Retail is harsh at the moment and shops are competing even more than ever with online sales. If they can open and make a decent amount of money then they absolutely will. Shops all over the country are closing because they're no longer making a profit - closing on the busiest trading day of the year would be utter madness.

I don’t understand why anyone feels the need to be at the Next sale and stupid o’clock on Boxing Day morning.

Yes, but if they were ALL shut on Boxing Day, surely they'd make that same money the next day?

Exactly. And if someone wants something badly from the Next sale I bet the would turn up just as early on the 27th.

Why just shops...why not pubs, resturants cinemas etc...after all we all have food , drink and access to films at home...what makes retail staff so special? Not being goady just a question.

This is a question I'd like to see answered too, and not with "Don't do the job then if you don't like it"
I don't mind working Christmas/BD etc, part of the deal, but BD is part of the deal with retail too and I wonder why a lot of people don't like retail workers (who've had Christmas day off) working BD yet are seemingly ok with hospitality workers doing Christmas Eve, Christmas day, Boxing Day, long hours and low pay same as retail. All the reasons given why retail workers should not work BD also applies to hospitality workers.

I have to say I think all those people who queaue outside next at silly o clock on Boxing Day seriously need to get a life!

Just bought from theM&S sale online, and as the things won’t be delivered until new year no one will have to work to pack and post them to me.

Why is it shop workers people get her up over having to work on Boxing Day?
Lots of workers have to - and not just essential emergency services.

Lots of people are more than happy to go out for lunch or dinner, maybe to the pub, cinema or have a day out somewhere for a a walk and some fresh air. Many of those activities need people working on Boxing Day to facilitate.

But it's only ever shop staff people get cross about.

@Aragog I think they should all close, but I think because it's usually part of family or time with friends its not quite as gross as a shop which could open the next day quite happily and if they all did the same make the same amount of money probably.

@Havaina - well if people don’t like working Boxing Day then they now have a whole year to do something about it instead of moaning about it next Boxing Day.

Aldi is closed for two days. Must have the same suppliers as Waitrose!

I totally agree OP. People that have to shop on Boxing Day need to get a fucking grip.

Yes, absolutely. It's just greed from shops driven by greed from consumers. They have 363 other days for that.

I also really dislike seeing 'Sale!' announcements every five minutes in the month leading up to them. Should be banned.

Thx for your post OP. I work for WR. We are shut for 2 days and they rota it so most get a 3 day break with their families. Long may it continue.

The Sainsbury's I work in in is open earlier on Boxing Day including the cafe bit where I work. (One of my colleagues is going to be on his own from 7-10AM! Because our managers are useless and can't organise schedules.) I just think it's ridiculous and I'm glad I don't work Thursdays anyway.

The think that has ALWAYS pissed me off is the people who say 'Isn't it a shame you have to work, wouldn't you rather be at home?' If you think that why the hell are you in a supermarket on Boxing Day? Fuck off with your faux sympathy. (I'm booking it as holiday next year cos it falls on a day I work and I'm not working Christmas Eve, so I'm actually going to spend Christmas with MY family for the first time in 14 years instead of with me ex-H's.)