Are Shops Open On Good Friday — 7 Opening-Time Variations to Plan Around
One question shoppers keep asking as Easter 2026 approaches is simple and immediate: are shops open on good friday — and if so, which ones stick to normal hours and which close for the holiday? With Good Friday (April 3 ET) arriving alongside a stretched bank holiday from April 3–6 ET, supermarkets have announced a patchwork of opening times: many large stores will operate reduced hours, convenience outlets will often remain accessible, and regional exceptions mean planning ahead is essential.
are shops open on good friday: what the major supermarkets will do
Retailers are sending mixed signals about trading hours on Good Friday (April 3 ET). Larger supermarket chains say most of their big-format stores will open on Good Friday and Easter Monday (April 6 ET), but with significant variation in closing times. For example, many larger stores have set Good Friday hours around 7am to 10pm ET, though some will close much earlier, with a range that includes closings as early as 5pm ET and openings extending into the later evening at select locations.
Tesco has highlighted store-size differences: most Superstores will be open on Good Friday and Easter Monday but with reduced hours, while Express convenience outlets in city areas are largely expected to trade throughout the weekend, in some cases from as early as 6am ET until as late as 11pm ET. One named branch example shows a Tesco Extra operating 7am–10pm ET on Good Friday, 7am–11pm ET on Saturday, and 8am–6pm ET on Easter Monday, with closure on Easter Sunday.
Asda has outlined similar variability, noting that usual opening times differ between locations but that the majority of larger outlets will operate roughly 7am–10pm ET on Good Friday. Aldi has confirmed a standard Good Friday window of 8am–9pm ET and has suggested quieter shopping times in the early morning or evening. Sainsbury’s plans show most supermarkets open 7am–11pm ET on Good Friday and Saturday, with convenience stores keeping their usual 7am–11pm ET schedules over the weekend. Morrisons has stated that Good Friday and Saturday will follow normal weekday hours for many stores—commonly 7am–10pm ET—while larger branches will be closed on Easter Sunday. Across the board, supermarkets advise customers to check local store finders for precise hours.
Why this matters right now for household planning
The bank holiday structure—Good Friday through Easter Monday (April 3–6 ET)—creates concentrated demand for groceries and Easter entertaining supplies. The operational choices by supermarkets affect not only when customers can shop but how staffing and logistics are allocated over the long weekend. Convenience stores and forecourt facilities remain a critical fallback: petrol forecourts will continue pay-at-pump operations through the period, and many smaller-format convenience outlets are set to trade their usual hours, offering an alternative to larger supermarkets closed on Easter Sunday (April 5 ET) in much of the country.
For shoppers trying to avoid last-minute crowds, the announced windows point to two practical rules: plan supermarket trips for Good Friday or Saturday where possible, and use convenience outlets or forecourts for urgent top-ups on Sunday when larger supermarkets in England and Wales are broadly closed.
Expert perspectives, regional exceptions and what to check
Retail statements emphasise regional differences, most notably around Easter Sunday trading. Sainsbury’s notes that all its supermarkets in the UK will be closed on Easter Sunday except in Scotland where stores will open in line with Sunday trading hours. That Scotland exception also appears in other retailer guidance: Scottish branches are singled out as operating under different Sunday-trading rules and will therefore welcome shoppers on Easter Sunday with curtailed or standard Sunday hours. M&S has confirmed that its locations will trade on Good Friday, with store-by-store variation.
Operationally, the combined picture from the major chains is consistent: Good Friday (April 3 ET) is largely a trading day but with reduced and variable hours; Easter Sunday (April 5 ET) sees the widest closures among larger supermarkets in England and Wales; and Easter Monday (April 6 ET) typically returns to limited bank-holiday hours. That means the practical answer to the question are shops open on good friday depends on the retailer and the specific branch, and customers are advised to consult local store finders for confirmed hours before traveling.
For families and hosts mapping out meals and gatherings, the simplest approach is chronological: complete main supermarket shopping on Good Friday or Saturday, reserve convenience stores and petrol forecourts for Sunday top-ups, and use Easter Monday for any further restocking during the bank holiday window.
As the long weekend approaches, will shoppers adapt their routines to the patchwork of announced opening times, or will last-minute demand reshape retailer hours once more? The unfolding of Easter 2026 trading will show how flexible both customers and supermarkets are when holiday rhythms collide with everyday needs.
