SUPERMARKET chain Asda is to close on Boxing Day as part of a thank you to staff who have worked throughout the coronavirus crisis reports the BBC.
Unions have been calling on major supermarkets to give all staff the day off on 26 December.
Asda follows retailers including Marks & Spencer, Pets at Home, and toy store The Entertainer in closing.
Sainsbury’s said it planned to open stores on Boxing Day, but that most staff would have the day off.
Supermarkets have seen huge demand, especially for online services, as well as staying open during lockdowns while other retailers and firms in the food and drinks industry had to close.
As part of a thank you to staff for their work during the pandemic, Asda said that all of its 631 shops would close for two days over the Christmas break.
Frontline staff will also get 100% of their bonus entitlement regardless of whether they have reached sales quotas.
Asda chief executive Roger Burnley said in a message to staff: “This has been a challenging year and you have all done an incredible job, continuing to serve our customers and communities while juggling so many other commitments.
“But it’s also been challenging from a personal perspective as we have not been able to spend time with our families and friends, which has been hard for us all.
“This is of course our busiest time of year but it was important for us to give as many of you as possible the opportunity to spend this time with those loved ones that you may not have not seen for many months so, uniquely for this year, we will not reopen our stores until 27 December.”
The full article can be found below.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-55251713
