Retailer Marks & Spencer has extended its shopping hours across 40 stores during the busy run up to Christmas.
From December 21 to 23, customers will be able to shop across the retailer’s beauty, fashion, home and food departments until midnight, according to Retail Gazette.
These are the longest shopping hours the retailer has ever offered in its history.
In 2019, M&S extended the opening hours to a handful of shops across the UK.
“We want our customers to be able to shop with confidence this Christmas, which means supporting social distancing in our stores and minimal queueing outside as the weather gets colder,” said M&S’ Retail, Operations and Property Director, Sacha Berendji.
“To help with this, our Sparks Book & Shop service is now live at every store and we’ll be operating our longest ever opening hours just before Christmas to help customers purchase everything they need to make the big day special.”
Meanwhile, M&S has requested for longer trading periods on Sunday.
“Along with the wider industry, we continue to ask for Sunday trading hours to be extended to help us increase our capacity to serve everyone safely this festive period.”
The move would give non-essential retailers an opportunity to make up some of the cash lost during the month-long lockdown across England.
Restrictions across the country are expected to revert back to a Tiered system, with some harsher measures, according to reports, on 3 December.
However, the system will mean non-essential retailers could be forced to close if their county moves into Tier 3 restrictions.
