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

[MargaritaThyme]

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?

Who is picking, packing, shipping and delivering those orders? Who is getting that product into the warehouse in the first place? Fairies?

As long as it is a paid day off, I think it is wonderful.

Night workers still have to go in on Boxing Day evening, so sleep all day.

You're right.

Happy days for out of town shopping and later Amazon, you mean?

The kind of archaic practice you describe is what killed off the high street in favour of larger out of town malls and retail parks. And later why online shopping took off.

Once again, who do you think is working in online retail warehouses and delivering orders. The same people who would have worked in shops.

It’s so strange how people don’t get this simple concept despite everyone single person on this thread being a consumer.

Totally agree. I think the entertainer also shuts on Boxing Day. In Germany (where I stayed, anyway), shops are closed on Sundays.

Its just a business decision based on cost/benefit. Had they thought it would be worth it, they'd be open. Just like all the hotels, restaurants, pubs and taxi companies that get their (often young low paid) staff to work in their non essential roles, so people can have their Christmas with relatives, a relaxed dinner they don't need to cook, their boxing day walk followed by a drink or two in the pub, and so on. Supermarkets selling things people actually might need are probably more justified in opening than leisure and hospitality, but there wouldn't be much praise if the pubs all closed to give their staff a break with their loved ones.

Definitely! They need to change this rubbish-retail need a break and people need to learn to relax at home for Christmas l!!!

Oh. Lightbulb moment; Lidl and Aldi are German companies.

This. I'm beginning to think some people on this thread are a bit thick- ordering online means people ARE working on BD, unless you are only being benevolent towards the people you can physically see working! 😂

Why? I agree totally about Boxing Day, but Sunday? Just no.

I don't agree. Loads of people have to work on Christmas eve, I don't see why it should be any different for retail staff.

I think that people who think that the trend for closing on BD is a good thing for workers, have been conned by PR spin.
That delivery you received on the 27th? People will have worked on the 26th to help make it reach you. The local store may be closed but people dealt with the delivery, stocked the shelves, picked your order, processed it and drove it to you. A big supermarket has multiple deliveries a day and it takes many people to sort each delivery out. It’s not some AI job that can be done WFH.

Does the closing of shops mean that sales at Amazon go up instead ? Not sure it’s so great that Deliveroo drivers are doing the shopping instead for pennies.

I agree with another poster, people don't have the disposable income like they used to so the shops won't get the footfall they want (it makes more sense not to open). Added to the fact, a lot of people will buy in the online sales.

No trains and buses round here on Christmas day or Boxing day.

I worked over the Christmas period including Boxing Day for a number of years as a picker at an online retailer. The orders are insane people start buying like mad even on Christmas Day, there’s no public demand to not shop.

I remember this - as Harrods was different & didn't start their sales until January 1st

Glad they are closing boxing day.
Years ago I worked at Argos. The number of people who complained that we hadn't restocked on Christmas day. It got to the stage where the manager asked them what they did on CD.

@randomuser2020 I think it would be great if extra was paid for these days but any retail I know of no longer pays any extra. My Husband had to work boxing day and the pay was the same amazing hourly rate as every other day

Definitely extra pay here for public holidays. I’m in Australia. Different States may have different rules (?? can never keep up with what is mandated per State versus Federally), but where I am employers must pay higher rates on public holidays. Also extra rates for Sundays (used to be for Saturdays as well but that was canned a while back), and extra rates for out of hours shifts such as afternoon and night shifts, with nights the highest.

Someone will be in over Christmas putting all of those tags on the Next sale items and putting them out in readiness for 6am on the 27th, they aren't already on there.

Totally agree. I think the entertainer also shuts on Boxing Day.

The Entertainer is owned by Christians who don’t work on a Sunday, so they’re closed Christmas Eve - a decision determined by principles rather than profits given how much a toy shop makes the day before Christmas.

Yes it’s good and quite surprising on some levels as Christmas Eve is a Sunday

I thought so too but heard from an m&s worker they're expected to make up the hours or having it taken from their holiday leave! Never would've guessed

My son works for M&S. He either loses the hours for Boxing Day or works them elsewhere in the week. He’s working until 10pm on Christmas Eve, store closes at 4, to have the shop ready for the 27th.

He’d rather work Boxing Day on the bank holiday rate. The boards of these organisations have done this for purely commercial reasons.Not for the staff. Not everyone celebrates Christmas or has family to spend it with.

And yet many of the people who are praising the shops for closing to allow staff some family time will be visiting pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels and never bat an eye at all the staff working there.