Sainsbury's has confirmed its opening hours for the upcoming May bank holiday, with most larger stores in England and Wales operating from 8am to 8pm on Monday, May 25. The supermarket chain advises customers to use its online store finder to check local branch times, as variations may occur.
Sainsbury's Local convenience stores will maintain their normal hours, typically 7am to 10pm or 11pm. In Scotland, the majority of branches will operate as usual, as there are no legal restrictions on trading hours for large shops on Sundays or bank holidays.
The announcement comes amid Sainsbury's warning that the Iran war "will impact both our customers and our business," echoing a similar message from rival Tesco. The supermarket giant said the exact impact remains "very uncertain" and has adjusted its profit guidance accordingly.
Sainsbury's expects underlying operating profits of between £975 million and £1.075 billion for the current financial year. Chief executive Simon Roberts noted that shoppers have become "even more focused on the cost of living" since the conflict started, but pledged to deliver "the best possible value" in stores.
Roberts said: "More and more customers are choosing Sainsbury's for more of their shopping, trusting us to deliver great value day in, day out. The conflict in the Middle East means customers are even more focused on the cost of living and we are absolutely committed to making sure everyone gets the best possible value when they shop with us."
