Easter Sunday is one of those rare days when even the most reliable corner shops seem to vanish from the map. Whether you’re in the UK or Ireland, knowing which supermarkets are open and which are closed can save you from a fruitless hunt for milk and bread.

4 related posts

UK supermarkets open on Easter Sunday: Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons (limited hours) ·
Irish supermarkets open on Easter Sunday: Lidl, Dunnes Stores, SuperValu (typically 9:00–18:00) ·
M&S stores closed on Easter Sunday: Most M&S stores (except Simply Food at motorway services) ·
Northern Ireland vs Republic of Ireland: Northern Ireland follows UK rules; Republic follows Irish rules ·
Shops open Easter Monday in Ireland: Many supermarkets operate reduced hours (e.g., 9:00–21:00) ·
Bank holiday status of Easter Monday 2026 in Ireland: Confirmed public holiday

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next

Key facts at a glance.

Fact Value
Easter Sunday 2026 date 5 April 2026
Easter Monday 2026 date 6 April 2026
UK Easter Sunday shops status Open with reduced hours (except M&S)
Ireland Easter Sunday shops status Open with reduced hours
Lidl Ireland Easter Sunday hours 09:00–18:00
M&S UK Easter Sunday policy All standalone stores closed
Bank holiday Monday Ireland 2026 Confirmed public holiday

Are any shops open on Easter Sunday in the UK?

Across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, large stores over 280 square metres must close under Sunday trading laws on Easter Sunday, according to Country Living UK (lifestyle and retail analysis). Scotland is more relaxed — many large shops can stay open.

UK supermarket chains that open on Easter Sunday

  • Tesco: Extra and Superstores closed in England, Wales, NI; Express stores open (thinkmoney (UK finance guide))
  • Sainsbury’s: Limited hours at convenience formats, large stores closed (Country Living UK)
  • Asda: Most stores open 10:00–16:00 (Day Out With The Kids (retailer guide))
  • Morrisons: Reduced hours, check local (thinkmoney)
  • Co-op convenience stores: Often open normal Sunday hours (thinkmoney)

Which UK retailers close on Easter Sunday

  • M&S: All stand-alone stores closed (Day Out With The Kids)
  • Next: Closed (Ground News (media aggregation))
  • Primark: Closed in England, Wales, NI (Ground News)
  • Matalan: Closed (Ground News)

Bottom line: If you’re in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, your large supermarket will be shut on Easter Sunday, but Tesco Express, Co-op, and petrol station shops are your lifeline. In Scotland, you’ll find most retailers open.

Is Tesco open on Easter Sunday in the UK?

Tesco adopts a two-tier policy on Easter Sunday. Extra and Superstores in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland close, while Express stores typically operate normal Sunday hours, as reported by thinkmoney (UK finance guide).

Tesco opening hours Easter Sunday

  • Tesco Extra / Superstore: Closed in England, Wales, NI; open in Scotland (thinkmoney)
  • Tesco Express: Often open 7:00–22:00 or similar (thinkmoney)

Regional variations for Tesco on Easter Sunday

  • Northern Ireland: Tesco stores may follow Republic of Ireland rules — some closed, some open (Extra.ie (Irish lifestyle))
  • Scotland: Large stores open due to different Sunday trading laws (Country Living UK)
The catch

Tesco’s own store locator (Tesco Store Locator) is the only reliable way to confirm hours for your specific branch — especially important for Northern Ireland customers.

Is M&S closed on Easter Sunday?

M&S is one of the few major retailers that closes almost all its stores on Easter Sunday across the UK, as confirmed by Day Out With The Kids (retailer guide). The only exceptions are M&S Simply Food shops at motorway service stations and some travel hubs.

M&S store policy on Easter Sunday

  • High street and retail park M&S: Closed (Day Out With The Kids)
  • M&S Foodhalls inside larger shopping centres: Check centre policy — likely closed (Country Living UK)

Exceptions: motorway service stations

  • M&S Simply Food at Welcome Break, Moto, Roadchef services: Open normal hours (thinkmoney)

The pattern is clear: if you need M&S on Easter Sunday, your only option is a service station.

Shops open Easter Sunday Ireland (including Dublin and Cork)

In the Republic of Ireland, Easter Sunday trading is more flexible than in the UK, but many retailers still reduce hours. Ireland’s tourism body Ireland.com (official tourism guidance) advises that shops may open later and close earlier than usual on public holidays.

Supermarkets open Easter Sunday Ireland

  • Lidl Ireland: 09:00–18:00 (Lidl Ireland official site)
  • Dunnes Stores: Closed all 138 branches (Extra.ie (Irish lifestyle))
  • Aldi Ireland: Closed all 166 branches (Extra.ie)
  • SuperValu: Most stores open reduced hours (check local) (Irish Independent (national newspaper))
  • Tesco Ireland: Mixed – some branches closed, others open bank‑holiday hours (Extra.ie)

Lidl Easter opening hours

Lidl Ireland publishes a dedicated Easter hours page. For 2026, the chain confirms Lidl Ireland official site: Easter Sunday 09:00–18:00, Easter Monday 09:00–21:00, Good Friday 08:00–22:00, Holy Saturday normal Saturday hours.

Dunnes Stores Easter opening hours

Dunnes Stores closes all its Irish branches on Easter Sunday, as reported by Extra.ie (Irish lifestyle). On Easter Monday, branches typically open 09:00–19:00, but customers should verify via the Dunnes Store Locator.

Shops open Easter Sunday Dublin

  • City-centre convenience stores and Centra: Open (Extra.ie)
  • Dublin Airport and transport hubs: Retail and food outlets open (Ireland.com)
  • Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre: Closed (Irish Independent)

Shops open Easter Sunday Cork

  • Lidl Cork: 09:00–18:00 (Lidl Ireland)
  • SuperValu Wilton: Reduced hours (Irish Independent)
  • Hannon’s Centra at The Mill Shopping Centre: Open (Facebook announcement via Extra.ie)

Bottom line: In Ireland, your best bets on Easter Sunday are Lidl (9–6) and small convenience stores. Dunnes and Aldi are fully closed. Dublin and Cork city centres have limited options — plan ahead.

Are shops open on bank holiday Monday in Ireland?

Easter Monday (6 April 2026) is a public holiday in Ireland. According to Ireland.com (official tourism guidance), shops may open later and close earlier than usual, or not open at all. Many supermarkets, however, choose to open.

Easter Monday opening hours in Ireland

  • Lidl: 09:00–21:00 (Lidl Ireland)
  • Dunnes Stores: Typically 09:00–19:00 (Extra.ie)
  • SuperValu: Reduced hours, often 09:00–18:00 (Irish Independent)

Shops open Easter Monday Ireland

  • Retail parks and shopping centres: Many open, but hours vary (Extra.ie)
  • Post offices: Closed (public holiday) (Ireland.com)
  • Banks: Closed, including AIB (AIB (bank holiday guidance))

Bottom line: Easter Monday in Ireland is a normal shopping day for most supermarkets, but don’t expect full hours. Check each store’s website before heading out.

Does Easter Monday count as a bank holiday?

Yes — Easter Monday is a bank holiday in both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland in 2026, as confirmed by UK Government (GOV.UK) and Ireland.com (tourism authority).

Easter Monday bank holiday status UK

  • UK: Easter Monday (6 April 2026) is a bank holiday in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland (GOV.UK)
  • Large stores in England, Wales, NI are permitted to open on Easter Monday (unlike Easter Sunday) (Country Living UK)

Easter Monday bank holiday status Ireland

  • Republic of Ireland: Easter Monday (6 April 2026) is a public holiday (Ireland.com)
  • Most shops are open but may operate reduced hours, as noted by Extra.ie
Why this matters

Easter Sunday is the only day when many UK retailers are forced to close by law; Easter Monday is a normal bank holiday with voluntary opening. Planning a shopping trip? Sunday is the limiting day, not Monday.

Six retailers, one pattern: UK and Ireland treat Easter Sunday very differently, and even within each jurisdiction the rules vary by store format and location.

Retailer UK – Easter Sunday Ireland – Easter Sunday
Tesco Extra/Superstore closed (Eng/Wal/NI); Express open Mixed – some closed, some open
Sainsbury’s Large stores closed; Local open Not present in ROI
Asda Open 10:00–16:00 Not present in ROI
Morrisons Reduced hours Not present in ROI
M&S All stores closed (except motorway) Limited presence – check store
Lidl Open (check local) 09:00–18:00
Dunnes Stores Not present in UK Closed
Aldi Open (check local) Closed
SuperValu Not present in UK Open reduced hours
Co-op Convenience stores open Not present in ROI

Easter Sunday 2026 hours: a quick reference for the most common retailers across the UK and Ireland.

Retailer UK hours (Easter Sun) Ireland hours (Easter Sun) Easter Mon hours (Ireland)
Tesco Closed (large) / Express open Check branch Check branch
Sainsbury’s Closed (large) / Local open N/A N/A
Asda 10:00–16:00 N/A N/A
Morrisons Reduced hours N/A N/A
M&S Closed (except motorway) Check branch Check branch
Lidl Check local 09:00–18:00 09:00–21:00
Dunnes N/A Closed 09:00–19:00 typical
Aldi Check local Closed Check local
SuperValu N/A Reduced hours Reduced hours
Co-op Convenience open N/A N/A

Confirmed facts

  • Lidl Ireland open 09:00–18:00 Easter Sunday (Lidl Ireland)
  • Easter Monday is a bank holiday in UK and Ireland (GOV.UK / Ireland.com)
  • M&S UK stores closed Easter Sunday (Day Out With The Kids)
  • Dunnes Stores and Aldi Ireland closed Easter Sunday (Extra.ie)

What’s unclear

  • Exact hours for Dunnes in Cork city centre 2026 (Extra.ie)
  • Tesco Northern Ireland Easter Sunday hours (may follow RoI) (thinkmoney)
  • Small local shops – no centralised schedule (Country Living UK)

Easter Sunday = 09:00 – 18:00

Lidl Ireland official website, Easter opening hours page

Lidl and Hannon’s Centra remain open Easter Sunday at The Mill Shopping Centre

The Mill Shopping Centre (Facebook announcement)

For anyone planning an Easter Sunday shop in 2026, the choice is clear: check your local supermarket’s online page before you leave the house, or risk an empty basket. In the UK, head to a convenience store or a Scottish large store; in Ireland, Lidl and Centra are your safest bets. On Easter Monday, almost everything reopens — but with reduced hours.

Additional sources

extra.ie, ground.news, dayoutwiththekids.co.uk, independent.ie, thesun.ie, goss.ie, calendarcute.com

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Frequently asked questions

Is Aldi open on Easter Sunday in Ireland?

No – Aldi Ireland closes all branches on Easter Sunday, as confirmed by Extra.ie.

Are pharmacies open on Easter Sunday?

Many pharmacies in Ireland and the UK operate reduced Sunday hours, but this varies by location. Boots pharmacies in larger stores may be closed, while independent pharmacies often stay open on a rota basis.

Can I shop online for delivery on Easter Sunday?

Yes – most online grocery delivery services are available but with limited slots. Tesco and Sainsbury’s offer click-and-collect at selected stores that remain open.

Do post offices open on Easter Monday?

No – post offices are closed on Easter Monday in both the UK and Ireland as it’s a bank holiday.

What are the Sunday trading laws in the UK for Easter?

Easter Sunday is one of a few days when large stores over 280 sq m in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland must close. Scotland has no such restriction. Country Living UK provides a detailed breakdown.

Are garden centres open on Easter Sunday?

Yes – most garden centres open on Easter Sunday, although some in England and Wales may reduce hours due to Sunday trading rules (if over 280 sq m).

Is IKEA open on Easter Sunday?

IKEA stores in the UK are closed on Easter Sunday. In Ireland, the Dublin store is also closed. Check local listings for other countries.

Do petrol stations open on Easter Sunday?

Yes – petrol station shops are exempt from Sunday trading restrictions and typically open normal hours.

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