Aldi Ireland confirm all 162 stores will close down for three full days in weeks

ALDI Ireland has confirmed that all 162 of their stores are set to close down for three full days over the festive period.

The retailer also advised customers to check their local store for the most accurate opening times as they may differ in each location.

Aldi stores are usually open from 8am to 10pm, Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 4pm on Sunday for almost all your shopping needs.

The stores are set to from 8am to 7pm on Christmas Eve this year.

All stores will then close for Christmas Day and Stephens Day – which will give staff a well deserved break over the festive period.

From December 27 to December 30, Aldi will operate from 8am to 9pm.

On New Years Eve, all Aldi stores will close early early at 7pm in the evening after opening at 9am that morning.

The stores will be closed nationwide on New Years Day.

All Aldi stores will reopen on January 2 from 9am to 10pm and normal business hours will resume.

Opening times will vary depending on where you live, so it’s best to check the Aldi store finder tool on its website to avoid a wasted trip.

Meanwhile, Lidl Ireland is also set to close their stores on certain days over the festive period.

Lidl Ireland will pull down the shutters on all of its shops on Christmas Day, St Stephen’s Day and New Year’s Day.

The retailer, which has over 180 stores across the Republic of Ireland, will close their stores early on some evenings over the festive season.

Lidl stores are usually open from 8am to 10pm during the week and 9am to 9am on weekends.

But over the festive period, the popular supermarket also offers extended hours to ensure customers have plenty of time to prepare for the big day.

And they will shorten the hours on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day to ensure staff have a chance to take a break over the festive period.

THE HISTORY OF ALDI

The German discount supermarket chain came to Ireland in 1999.

Aldi’s first few shops opened in November 1999, with locations in Sandyford, Dublin, and Ballincollig, Cork.

By the mid-2000s, Aldi bosses had opened numerous stores, focusing on providing high-quality products at low prices.

As the recession hit 2008-2012, Aldi’s popularity grew as consumers became more price-conscious.

The supermarket giant continued it’s expansion in Ireland between 2013-2018, while refurbishing existing stores.

By 2018, Aldi had over 130 shops throughout the country.

The chain began to focus on expanding its range of Irish-made products and supporting local producers.

In 2023, Aldi had over 140 stores in Ireland.

The store invested in sustainability initiatives, such as reducing plastic packaging and increasing the availability of organic and eco-friendly products.

Aldi chiefs said: “At Aldi we are committed to supporting Irish suppliers. Developed in partnership with Bord Bia, Grow with Aldi is designed to help the very best Irish suppliers develop their brand.

“To date, we’ve invested €10 million in our Grow with Aldi development programme in a bid to find the very best Irish suppliers.

“As a result, for a limited time only there are over 47 new products, from 27 Irish suppliers available in store.”

Aldi have introduced technological advancements with self-checkout systems and contactless payment options.

Lidl stores are set to close on Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day.

On Christmas Eve, they will open up at 8am as normal but close slightly earlier at 6pm.

And after closing on December 25 and 26, stores will return to their normal opening hours until New Year’s Eve.

On December 31, Lidl shops will open at 8am as normal and remain open until 6pm.

All Lidl stores will then be closed on New Year’s Day.

They will return to their normal opening hours from Thursday January 2

Other Irish supermarkets look set to make a similar move with Christmas closures, with opening hours for all major retailers to be confirmed over the coming weeks.

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