Pets at Home announces plans to close on Boxing Day
The move follows similar announcements from Home Bargains, Poundland, Morrisons, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer.
Your support helps us to tell the story
This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.
The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.
Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.
Pets at Home has become the latest retailer to agree to close all stores on Boxing Day this year.
Bosses said sites will shut on December 26 as a thank you to staff for their hard work during the year, which saw stores remain open throughout the pandemic due to its “essential” retailer status.
The company pointed out that stores were also closed on Boxing Day last year.
Caring for our colleagues is something we take very seriously and closing our stores again on Boxing Day is another small way to show our appreciation and say thank you
This year’s holiday falls on a Sunday, with stores in England only allowed to trade for six hours.
Other retailers to make similar announcements include Sainsbury’s, Morrisons Waitrose Marks & Spencer Poundland and Home Bargains.
Pets at Home’s chief executive, Peter Pritchard, said: “Our people are the beating heart of our business and they have worked tirelessly once again this year to ensure that the nation’s pets and their owners have access to everything they need to stay happy and healthy.
“Caring for our colleagues is something we take very seriously and closing our stores again on Boxing Day is another small way to show our appreciation and say thank you.
“It’s a little early to be wishing anyone a merry Christmas, but we hope that our colleagues will be able to use this time to relax with family and friends, and of course, their pets.”