Are Morrisons Open On Boxing Day

So, it’s December 26th. You’ve survived the Christmas dinner, the paper hats are wilting, and you’re staring into the fridge like it owes you money. The turkey is gone, the cheese board is a crime scene, and the only thing left is a half-eaten tin of Quality Street that your Aunt Brenda definitely licked. Suddenly, a terrifying thought hits you: you need milk. Not just any milk—the good stuff, the gold top, the kind that makes your Boxing Day fry-up (or, let’s be honest, breakfast-from-the-fridge) possible.

And your brain, in a panic, asks the most urgent question of the holiday season: Are Morrisons open on Boxing Day? It’s a question that feels as high-stakes as a mountaineering expedition, except the only danger is facing your family with decaf coffee. Let’s unpack this, shall we?

The Usual Suspects of a Boxing Day Crisis

Think of your Boxing Day as a chaotic, unplanned sequel to Christmas. The house looks like a glitter bomb exploded in a recycling bin. The kids are riding a sugar high from three different types of yule log. And your only plan? To wear sweatpants until 4pm and eat cold stuffing straight from the Tupperware. This is prime “I forgot the essentials” territory. You’re not shopping for a soufflé; you’re shopping for survival.

You need bread for toast, butter for said toast, and maybe, just maybe, a packet of bacon to pretend you have your life together. But the local corner shop is closed because Mr. Patel is also having a lie-in. The petrol station is open but charges £8 for a pint of milk. That’s when your eyes dart to the Morrisons car park like a hawk spotting a field mouse.

The Big Question: Open or Closed?

Here’s the honest, no-frills answer: Yes, most Morrisons supermarkets are open on Boxing Day, but they run on a strange, “zombie-shift” schedule. Think of it as the supermarket equivalent of a hangover. They’re open, but half-heartedly. You won’t get the full, bustling Tuesday morning experience. Instead, you get a skeleton crew, a handful of brave shoppers, and aisles that look like they’ve been through a whirlwind.

All the shops that won't be open on Boxing Day this year - from

Typically, Morrisons opens later—around 9 or 10am—and closes by 6pm. But here’s the kicker: not all Morrisons are created equal. A massive superstore in a city centre might welcome you with open arms and a slightly confused-looking greeter. A smaller Morrisons Local in a sleepy village? That one might just glare at you through locked doors, its “Closed” sign glowing like a judgmental Christmas star. Always, always check online—your specific store’s page—before you put on your “fancy” (i.e., clean) joggers.

I once made the rookie mistake of assuming all stores were on the same “Boxing Day Charter.” My local Morrisons opened at 10am, but the one five miles away, in a posher area, didn’t open until 11am because, I assume, they were still polishing their mince pies. I drove there, sat in the car, and ate a sad, hour-old sausage roll from a garage. Don’t be me.

What You’ll Actually Find Inside

If you do venture out, brace yourself. The atmosphere inside a Boxing Day Morrisons is a weird mix of relief and mild despair. You’ll see people in Christmas jumpers with reindeer buttons, clutching a loaf of bread like it’s the Holy Grail. You’ll spot dads in gilets, looking dazed, staring at the reduced section as if it holds the answers to life. The bread aisle will be half-empty. The milk shelf will have a few lonely cartons of semi-skimmed, but the oat milk? Gone. Forbidden. Emigrated to Spain.

Morrisons Boxing Day and New Year's Eve opening hours 2024 - MyLondon

And the booze section? Ah, the booze section is a battlefield. People are replenishing their supplies for “just one more drink” that becomes four. You might even see a man in a trilby hat buying a single bottle of prosecco with the look of a man who has made a very specific, very important promise to his wife. It’s glorious chaos.

Anecdote: The Boxing Day Saviour

Last year, my friend Sarah had a Boxing Day disaster. She’d invited her in-laws for a “quick brunch,” but had forgotten the smoked salmon. It was 9:45am. She did a frantic Google search and found our local Morrisons was opening at 10am sharp. She sprinted. She arrived as the shutters were going up, and she looked like a fugitive from a Christmas crime. She got the last packet of salmon, and the cashier—a young lad with tinsel in his hair—said, “You okay, love? You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Or a turkey.” Sarah cried a little, but they were happy tears. Morrisons, for all its Boxing Day quirks, can be a hero.

The Golden Rule of Boxing Day Shopping

Here’s your survival guide: Manage your expectations. You are not going to find everything you want. You might not find double cream. You will almost certainly not find fresh cranberry sauce. But you will find milk, bread, bacon, and the weird smugness of being one of the few people outside their house. It’s a shared secret—a nod between strangers who all understand that Christmas is beautiful, but survival is a team sport. So, yes, Morrisons is probably open. But go for the essentials, not the impossible dream. And for goodness’ sake, wear stretchy trousers. You’ve earned them.