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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Business
Laura Sharman

Home Bargains and Iceland to close on Boxing Day to give staff an extra day off

Home Bargains and Iceland have confirmed they will remain closed on Boxing Day this year.

The two stores are among the first to confirm their plans over the busy Christmas period.

After a tumultuous year of price hikes, staff shortages and political uncertainty, the changes will allow employees to spend more time with their families over the festive season.

Iceland boss Richard Walker announced on Twitter that the frozen food chain will be closed on December 26, when shoppers usually flock to take advantage of discount deals.

"We’ll be closing all our Iceland and food warehouse stores on Boxing Day to give our colleagues a well-earned rest with their friends and families," he said.

The managing director recently called on the Conservative Party to increase Universal Credit to £20 a week.

Home Bargains will also remain closed on Boxing Day (Ian Cooper/North Wales Live)

"We really do have to look after the most vulnerable," he said.

Speaking at the Tory Party Conference, Mr Walker said he was puzzled by tax cuts for the wealthy coupled with a lack of support for low income households.

He described new Prime Minister Liz Truss ' priorities as "odd" and said the Government do not fully understand the scale of struggles some families are facing.

Home Bargains will also close all its stores on Boxing Day as well as New Year's Day to thank staff for their hard work, reports the Retail Gazette.

Iceland has also had to delay its plans for expansion (Steve Reigate)

The checkouts will close at 5pm on Christmas Eve and remain closed on Christmas Day and New Year's Day to ensure staff can enjoy the festive period with loved ones.

A spokesperson said: “We know how hard all our colleagues have worked throughout the year.

"Being a family-run business, we recognise the importance of spending quality time with our loved ones.

"Therefore, we feel it is only right to support our valued store teams by giving them extended time off around Christmas and New Year.”

This year is not the first major retailers have closed their doors on Boxing day.

Aldi, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s were among supermarkets to close their stores on Boxing Day last year.

Iceland's Mr Walker is now calling on No 10 to prepare an immediate cost-of-living package for struggling retailers and said he is worried that a "half baked" response from Ms Truss will not address people's needs.

Home Bargains also closed last Boxing Day, giving staff more time with their families (Pic Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)

Extortionate costs have left the supermarket “fighting to keep the lights on”, according to the managing director.

Bosses have been forced to put plans for its expansion on hold and warned of potential store closures because of soaring energy bills.

Mr Walker is now calling for an energy price cap for businesses in the UK, after its latest energy bill rose by £20million.

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