Marks & Spencer to keep all stores closed on Boxing Day

This will mark the second consecutive year that M&S has shut its stores on Boxing Day, giving its 70,000-strong UK and Ireland workforce an additional day off over the festive period.

Chief executive Steve Rowe wrote to staff last week informing them of the decision, which was made earlier this year compared with 2020 to allow staff more time to arrange their Christmas plans.

“Up and down the country, our colleagues have been there for our customers in the most challenging of circumstances,” Rowe wrote.

“As a small thank you for their incredible hard work, we’ve taken the decision to close our operations on Boxing Day once again this year, to enable our colleagues to spend more time with their family and loved ones.”

M&S’ decision to close its stores on Boxing Day, typically one of retail’s most lucrative days of trading, follows Morrisons making the same move earlier this month.

In the run-up to Christmas the retailer, which raised full-year profit expectations earlier this month, will be opening most of its stores for longer and on Christmas Eve some branches will be open until 8pm.

M&S was one of a swathe of retailers including Asda, Lidl and Pets at Home that chose to shut its stores on Boxing Day last year following a “uniquely challenging year”.