Major supermarket to shut over 1,070 UK stores next month for 24 hours

Under this legislation, retail premises exceeding 280 square metres in floor space are prohibited from trading on Easter Sunday, alongside Christmas Day.

Both retailers will be shutting their doors for a full 24 hours on April 5, 2026.

The closures follow an established annual pattern for both chains, which routinely observe the bank holiday restrictions governing large retailers.

Both supermarkets have outlined their adjusted schedules for the extended bank holiday weekend, which runs from Good Friday on 3 April through to Easter Monday on 6 April.

Aldi branches will welcome customers between 8am and 9pm on both Good Friday and Easter Saturday, before closing entirely on the Sunday.

The chain will resume trading on Easter Monday with slightly reduced hours of 8am to 8pm.

Lidl has confirmed similar arrangements, with stores in England and Wales expected to operate from approximately 9am to 10pm on Good Friday, followed by the mandatory Sunday shutdown and shortened Easter Monday hours.

Rachel Geary, communications director at Aldi UK, emphasised the importance of the holiday period for staff and customers alike.

"Easter is a time for celebration and coming together with family and friends to enjoy great food - whether that's a traditional British roast with all the trimmings or firing up the BBQ, if the spring weather allows," she said.

Ms Geary added that the retailer aims to provide "unbeatable value" so shoppers can concentrate on "spending quality time with loved ones."

Aldi has stated that the temporary closures give colleagues an opportunity to enjoy the bank holiday with their families.

Scottish shoppers will not be affected by the Easter Sunday restrictions, as the country operates under a separate retail framework that permits trading regardless of store size.

Both Lidl and Aldi branches north of the border will maintain their normal Sunday opening hours throughout the bank holiday weekend.

Customers across the UK are encouraged to verify their local store's specific trading times using the retailers' online store finder tools, as individual branches may have slight variations to the standard schedule.

Aldi currently operates approximately 1,086 stores nationwide, with ambitions to expand its network to 1,500 locations in the coming years.