Because Easter Sunday is a trading law minefield. In England and Wales, big shops face strict rules on this day. The government basically says, “Give your employees a break, you giant behemoth.”
It’s a quirk of British tradition. We love our bank holidays, but we also love our last-minute bread runs. These two forces are locked in an eternal tug-of-war.
Fun fact: Shops over 3,000 square feet are treated like kings. They get the day off. Smaller shops? They’re the court jesters, allowed to entertain (sell you onions) if they want.
What You’ll Find (If It’s Open)
If you strike gold and find an open Express, prepare for chaos. It’ll be a weird mix of essentials. There will be a mountain of leftover hot cross buns and a single, lonely jar of pickles.
Easter Weekend opening times for Morrisons, Tesco, Co-op, Aldi and Lidl
Don’t expect fresh bread. The bakery delivery guy is probably having a lie-in too. Your best bet is a bag of crumpets and some hope.
Pro tip: If you see a queue of desperate people holding only eggs and milk, join them. You’re in the right place. This is a community event now.
