Usdaw won a long campaign for legislation to ensure all large stores are closed on Christmas Day and a similar law was also passed in Scotland. A YouGov opinion poll, commissioned by Usdaw in 2022, found that 79% of the public support supermarkets closing on Boxing Day. Usdaw’s own surveying found that 97% of supermarket workers also want the closure.
Bally Auluk - Usdaw national officer says: “After discussions with Poundland, we very much welcome the company again closing all their stores on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, to give their staff a proper break over the festive season. This is a much-appreciated continuation of past years’ festive closures.
“We don’t think it is too much to ask to give shopworkers the longest possible break over Christmas and New Year. We now hope that other retailers will follow suit, by closing their stores to help workers enjoy the festive season and give them a well-deserved breather.
“Where companies do open their stores, we urge them to ensure that they are only staffed by volunteers. Any Usdaw member with concerns about their working arrangements over the festive period should contact the union for advice.”
Notes for editors:
Usdaw (Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) is one of the fastest growing unions in the TUC and the UK's fifth biggest trade union with around 360,000 members. Most Usdaw members work in the retail sector, but the union also has many members in transport, distribution, food manufacturing, chemical industry and other trades www.usdaw.org.uk
YouGov poll: All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov plc. Total sample size was 1,736 adults. Fieldwork was undertaken between 5th and 6th December 2022. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of all UK adults (aged 18+). To what extent would you support or oppose your local supermarket closing all its stores (e.g. its superstores, high street stores, etc.) on Boxing Day?
- TOTAL SUPPORT: 79%: strongly support 52% - tend to support: 27%
- TOTAL OPPOSE 12%: strongly oppose 4% - tend to oppose: 8%
- DON'T KNOW: 9%
https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/meyb86ad8w/USDAW_Supermarkets_221206_UK_W.pdf
An Usdaw survey of over 12,000 shop workers found that:
- 77% say Boxing Day working affects their ability to enjoy Christmas.
- 76% feel they spend too little time with their loved ones at Christmas.
- 97% want stores to be closed on Boxing Day.
For Usdaw press releases visit: http://www.usdaw.org.uk/news and you can follow us on Twitter/X @UsdawUnion