Yet some supermarkets are already announcing that they'll open more stores on Boxing Day, accelerating a trend that began after the turn of the century (this century!).
Back in 2007, Asda opened NO stores on Boxing Day, while rival Tesco opened a few dozen of its supermarkets. Fast-forward to 2010, when Asda opened 105 of its stores, Tesco opened 410 supermarkets and Sainsbury opened 236 stores.
For 2013, Morrisons will be opening grocery stores on Boxing Day--a first for that chain--while Asda, Sainsbury and Tesco will continue adding to the number of stores they open. Given the slow pace of economic recovery and the intense competition for shoppers, this isn't surprising. A Morrisons manager explains: 'We believe these opening hours mean customers will come to us rather than a competitor'. . .Supermarket competition is especially intense because, according to a Payments Council study, 58p of every pound spent at a retailer goes to a UK supermarket. Those pence add up, and every grocery chain wants to get their share.
Two more factors are driving these Boxing Day openings: Bargain hunters are shopping at giant deep-discounters such as Aldi and more shoppers are seeking convenience. So even though grocery purchases are forecast to rise in the coming years, supermarkets will be fighting to hold onto their store shoppers every day, including Boxing Day.
