A GROWING number of supermarket chains have confirmed they will be extending their opening hours as Christmas fast approaches.

Tesco, ASDA, Aldi and Lidl are among the supermarkets to reveal they will be increasing trading hours to allow customers more time to shop and better enable social distancing practices ahead of Christmas Day when families will be able to mix with up to three households.

Online delivery slots and click and collect bookings are already in high demand as customers organise their festive food shopping in a bid to avoid any last minute rushes.

Yet, in an effort to combat lengthy queues in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, many grocers have looked at extending their opening hours to safely satisfy demand.

So fear not if you’re in need of an emergency trip to the shops!

Tesco

More than 300 Tesco stores are set to open their doors for 24 hours a day in the run up to Christmas, according to The Sun.

The report says those Tesco stores will open around the clock from December 14 to Christmas Eve, with the rest of the chain’s stores operating from 5am to 11pm in the same period.

With more than 4,000 stores, customers are encouraged to view what stores will be open and when using the supermarket’s online store locator HERE.

All of Tesco’s shops closed on Christmas Day last year and reopened on Boxing Day morning. Tesco is yet to confirm its festive opening hours this year.

Aldi

Aldi will extend its opening hours to 11pm for three days leading up to Christmas Eve, from December 21 to December 23.

It will operate a normal Sunday service on December 20 from 10am to 4pm before the change to opening hours from 7am-11pm on Monday, December 21.

There could be variations from branch to branch so it’s best to check the online store locator for the opening times of your local Aldi.

Aldi stores will shut at 6pm on Christmas Eve, close on Christmas Day and remain closed on Boxing Day.

Sainsbury’s

Sainsbury’s has also extended its opening hours from December 21 to December 23 in a decision which will see 90 per cent of its stores open from 6am to midnight.

The retailer is also encouraging customers to shop alone and early this year - offering 10 times the Nectar points on long-life food products between December 4 and 13.

Check your local Sainsbury’s store HERE.

Its stores will open from 6am-7pm on Christmas Eve but remain closed on Christmas Day.

Marks and Spencer

Around 400 M&S food halls will stay open until midnight over the December 21-23 period, which is around two-thirds of the chain's stores.

Its other stores will stay open until 10pm - check out which stores will remain open for longer in the run up to Christmas HERE.

Opening times will change on Christmas Eve, with a 6pm closure, and the shops will remain closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Waitrose

In the run up to Christmas Day, local Waitrose stores will also extend their opening hours until 11pm. Check the opening times of your local store HERE.

Morrisons

Morrisons is yet to reveal its Christmas opening hours for 2020. Last year the supermarket extended opening hours to midnight on two of the three days leading up to Christmas Eve (the other was a Sunday). Its stores were open until 6pm on 24 and 26 December but closed Christmas Day.

Asda

Likewise, Asda hasn’t revealed its festive opening hours and isn’t expected to until two weeks before Christmas. Most of its stores were open from 6/7am to 6/7pm on Christmas Eve last year, remained closed on Christmas Day and were again opened between 9am and 6pm on Boxing Day.