Tesco is hiring more than 28,000 temporary staff for the festive season. The recruitment drive for 2026 will help serve customers during the busy Christmas period, the supermarket has said.
Roles in stores and distribution centres
The roles will mainly involve working in Tesco’s Superstores and Extra stores, serving customers or picking orders for Grocery Home Delivery orders. Shifts are available across the day, including early morning and evening. Tesco is also offering a small number of picking roles at its distribution centres around the country.
There will also be opportunities for temporary colleagues to move to permanent jobs after Christmas, where positions become available.
How to apply
Anyone interested in a festive period role at Tesco can find available roles and apply via the Tesco Careers website. A CV is not required.
Ela Golab, Tesco Group people services director, said: "We are looking for people who can bring warmth, enthusiasm and a helpful service to every shopping trip."
What Tesco is looking for
"We’re also keen to hear from applicants who may want to stay with us after Christmas and begin building a career at Tesco," she added.
"No day is ever the same, and festive colleagues will be able to feel the impact they make on every shift, as they send customers home with a smile. What's more, no experience is necessary - just the right attitude."
Other retailers hiring
Sainsbury's and Argos have also kicked off a major UK-wide festive recruitment drive, opening 17,500 seasonal roles to support shoppers through the peak Christmas trading period.
The temporary vacancies span Sainsbury's supermarkets, convenience stores, and Argos branches, as well as logistics operations including warehouses and online order fulfilment hubs. Roles cover a range of operational needs, from replenishing stock and picking online deliveries to drivers making doorstep drops across the country.
To attract applicants during the competitive holiday hiring season, the retailer is offering fixed-term contracts ranging between four and 12 weeks.
Perks for temporary workers include free food during shifts and an uncapped 10% staff discount across both Sainsbury's and Argos, which increases to 15% at Sainsbury's every Friday and Saturday.
Pay rates for the temporary roles vary depending on job function and location:
- In-store positions: £13.23 to £14.54 per hour
- Argos delivery drivers: £14.23 to £15.54 per hour
- Sainsbury's delivery drivers: £14.73 to £16.04 per hour
Applications are now open online via Sainsbury's dedicated Christmas careers portal, with candidates also able to inquire directly at local store branches.
