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AIBU?

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Original poster

To say ‘well done’ to the bosses of M&S, Waitrose, Lidl & Aldi

381 replies

MargaritaThyme · 23/12/2023 00:00

For deciding not to open their stores on Boxing Day, thereby giving their staff, who have been working very hard through December, a proper break with their loved ones?

OP posts:
LonelynSad · 23/12/2023 05:47

naughtynine · 23/12/2023 00:25

When I was young January sales were a thing, there was no going shopping straight after Christmas.

How old are you? When I was young hitting Oxford street etc for the Boxing day sales was a big thing

How old are you!? I’m 39 and very much remember the sales starting in January. You do realise some people on here are older than you, you know!?

Roselilly36 · 23/12/2023 05:48

I agree to close on Boxing Day is a good thing.

Willmafrockfit · 23/12/2023 05:49

i like a greengrocer and fishmonger and a butcher, that is not twee - it is choice

Willmafrockfit · 23/12/2023 05:50

i remember 30 years ago my ds going to the boxing day sales,
i couldnt, i had no money

lightisnotwhite · 23/12/2023 05:52

@Snowyballs I do work for a major supermarket actually. You are being ridiculous suggesting having 2 days off is a middle class privilege.

When the store shuts for Christmas or Boxing Day and it’s part of my shift, I take it as leave if I want the money. If I don’t want to take it as leave, I work more hours the rest of the week. There are many extra hours available over Christmas even though we shut for two days.

Some people work in online retail working over Christmas . These are not the same people in stores. It should be emergency workers only IMO.

PermanentTemporary · 23/12/2023 05:53

Hear hear to the OP.

shearwater2 · 23/12/2023 05:56

I don't mind either way but it makes more sense for food shops to be open than other non-essentials. Also pubs and many restaurants are open and people work very late in them.

Mirrormeback · 23/12/2023 05:57

That's fantastic their staff deserve time off during what is important family time over Christmas

lightisnotwhite · 23/12/2023 06:10

shearwater2 · 23/12/2023 05:56

I don't mind either way but it makes more sense for food shops to be open than other non-essentials. Also pubs and many restaurants are open and people work very late in them.

No. There is more than enough food available during the extended opening hours before Christmas/Boxing Day. The minuscule number of people who had no access to food shops then but need food for two days closure shouldn’t dictate how the many millions spend a national holiday.

Its stupid to say shops are open because people demand it. People demand things not in the best interests of the majority all the time. Hence sugary food, nutritionally poor ready meals etc. It’s why Scotland has minimum pricing on alcohol and there’s a sugar tax. Sometimes the bigger picture is more important than customer demands.

phoenixrosehere · 23/12/2023 06:12

heyheyheyy · 23/12/2023 04:21

YABU because there’s many people who don’t mind working on Boxing Day especially as it’s usually paid extra. There’s also people who don’t celebrate Christmas or celebrate it massively, so it’s just another day for them. Lots of people in retail aren’t on full time contracts nor have a set working pattern, so when the shop is closed, they don’t get paid.

when I worked in retail as a broke student, I really didn’t mind working on Boxing Day…it’s a tight time of year for many and the extra money helps. I could still catch up with loved ones before/after the shift. Plus retail managers usually check who wants to work Boxing Day/Christmas Eve/new years etc it’s not necessarily a forced shift - people can put preferences forward of the days they want off.

Edited

I didn’t mind working Boxing Day or New Year’s Day either and chose to. Easy money and a bit of chat with colleagues and customers. Kids were swept up in playing and DH in sports at home anyway.

slashlover · 23/12/2023 06:16

Snowyballs · 23/12/2023 02:19

And that is fine
But lots of people do want to work the 26th and be paid

Show quote history

We close on Boxing Day and use a BH so we still get paid, my wage will be exactly the same. I used to work when it was double time but it's not worth it for single time. I used to work for the Co-op and nobody wanted to work on Boxing Day, the 1st or the 2nd when they could use BH hours.

Differentstarts · 23/12/2023 06:19

Snowyballs · 23/12/2023 01:19

Only the very privileged could assume that not working on the 26th is what retail workers want

Edited

I work in retail and don't want to work the 26th

shearwater2 · 23/12/2023 06:21

lightisnotwhite · 23/12/2023 06:10

No. There is more than enough food available during the extended opening hours before Christmas/Boxing Day. The minuscule number of people who had no access to food shops then but need food for two days closure shouldn’t dictate how the many millions spend a national holiday.

Its stupid to say shops are open because people demand it. People demand things not in the best interests of the majority all the time. Hence sugary food, nutritionally poor ready meals etc. It’s why Scotland has minimum pricing on alcohol and there’s a sugar tax. Sometimes the bigger picture is more important than customer demands.

Show quote history

I don't mind shops being shut for one extra day, even food shops. Tbh Sunday hours annoy me more. I think people queuing up for sales on Boxing Day is quite hideous and ridiculous.

But lots of industries stay open, and need a small staff running operations, hospitality is almost always open, sports and entertainment go on over Christmas, even in office work I've worked over the Christmas period before.

It just seems like a PR move by certain shops to say they are going to close an extra day. It's not like everywhere is shut apart from retail and A&E.

MyrtlethePurpleTurtle · 23/12/2023 06:27

Scarletttulips · 23/12/2023 01:00

Posted too soon.

Yoi can choose not to shop on Boxing Day - you can buy petrol days before and medication. No reason for any shop to open.

There will always be a need for emergency pharmacies to be open

PlaneMum19 · 23/12/2023 06:27

sfter working in retail for 6 years I completely agree. But .. most of them I know 100% one of the company’s you’ve mentioned they have to make the hours up that they should have been working Boxing Day. Which for the staff that already work full time is extremely difficult to squeeze those hours in already a busy week. Which I think is wrong.

Riddlesinthedark · 23/12/2023 06:40

My friend works in M&S and says if Tuesday is her usual work day she will be required to make up the hours elsewhere next week so she isn't as enthused as the headline would suggest as it means a load of 12hr shifts for Christmas week.

I used to work in a cafe next door to a Next. Every boxing day we opened at 4am so that the people in the queue for the next sale could have a hot drink. We would always have people banging the door at 3.30am while we set up. It was miserable and there was no need.

autumn1610 · 23/12/2023 06:45

I think it’s great I used to work Boxing Day all the time in retail and that was usually when all our family would meet. However just because a shop is shut everyone jumping on and ordering online means there’s a warehouse full of people picking your online orders on Boxing Day to make sure you receive them in a day or two. I used to work in head office retail and those guys shifts start very very early

Thegoodbadandugly · 23/12/2023 06:49

lightisnotwhite · 23/12/2023 00:16

Yes!
Times have changed again.
I can see how Sunday opening, 24 hour and late night shopping came to be a thing. Society had more money and wanted to spend it and retail wanted a bit of it.
Gradually things are parring back again. Less working hours and online deliveries means we don't physically need to be out in the shops every hour of every day..

Its much more important that people have time off if they can. Good for them

I agree I think Sunday laws are well out of date now.

naughtynine · 23/12/2023 06:51

@CarterBeatsTheDevil ha I’m a similar age! You seriously don’t remember Boxing Day sales being a thing?! Maybe is depends on location.

The shops that are shut for boxing day aren't suddenly become benevolent towards staff it will be because its not financially viable to be open that day.

Exactly Boxing Day sales have been replaced by Black Friday plus many shops launch their sale before Christmas Day & loads of them will have online sales

CeeceeBloomingdale · 23/12/2023 06:54

I work in a call centre that is a 365 operation. The number of non-essential calls on Christmas Day, Boxing Day etc is ridiculous. When a number/shop etc is open people will use it without thought. I avoid anything on Boxing Day if I'm off, no shopping, no calls no meals out or takeaways, no travel.

Imamumgetmeoutofhere · 23/12/2023 06:57

It's very good and as someone who used to work in retail it was appreciated that we could have the days off.

However, the supermarket I worked in made us book holiday for Christmas Day and Boxing Day otherwise we wouldn't get paid.

Disgusting really when the store isn't open and the staff can't work!

So I imagine others will be the same, they give with one hand but take away with the other.

Heyhoherewegoagain · 23/12/2023 06:57

alltoomuchrightnow · 23/12/2023 00:25

I'm working BD in retail and it will be rammed, always is, no sales, we have them before Christmas. But, it was the only way I could secure getting N Y Day off. Have to do one or the other

Who do you work for that’s open NYD? Asking so I can boycott them!

StillCreatingAName · 23/12/2023 06:57

OP, it’s all happening online- I’ve been absolutely inundated with links to sales and codes to get into pre sales.
As you’re clearly worried about them, be reassured that the big bosses will still get their bonuses, all thanks to automation.

naughtynine · 23/12/2023 07:01

How old are you!? I’m 39 and very much remember the sales starting in January. You do realise some people on here are older than you, you know!?

Im in my 40s & Boxing Day sales were definitely a thing for years. Like I said it may be a location thing but you do realise not an everyone lives in the same place?!

Baconking · 23/12/2023 07:02

naughtynine · 23/12/2023 00:25

When I was young January sales were a thing, there was no going shopping straight after Christmas.

How old are you? When I was young hitting Oxford street etc for the Boxing day sales was a big thing

I'm 46 and Oxford st shops were definitely closed on Boxing day 30ish years ago.
I specifically remember getting the bus there only to find everything closed and then waiting for the bus home again.

Oddly, my local Tesco Extra was closed on boxing day until a couple of years back as I also remember that wasted journey but are now open