Are Supermarkets Open Today? Irish Hours & Pay Guide

Few things are as frustrating as standing outside a locked supermarket door on a public holiday. If you’re trying to figure out whether supermarkets are open today near you in Ireland, the answer depends heavily on which chain and where you are.

Typical weekday hours: 8am to 10pm ·
Public holiday hours: Often reduced (e.g., 12pm to 10pm) ·
Major chains covered: Tesco, Lidl, Aldi, Dunnes, SuperValu

Four key numbers set the stage for understanding Irish supermarket operations today:

Are supermarkets open today near me?

What are the typical opening hours for Irish supermarkets?

• Tesco: Most larger stores 8am–10pm every day; smaller branches may vary.
• Lidl: Typical 8am–10pm weekdays, reduced on Sundays and bank holidays (e.g., 9am–9pm) (Irish Mirror (Irish news outlet)).
• Aldi: 8am–10pm Monday–Saturday, 9am–9pm Sundays and bank holidays (Aldi Ireland (official retailer)).
• Dunnes Stores: Typically 9am–8pm, but local hours vary.
• SuperValu: Community-dependent; most 8am–9pm, some close earlier on Sundays.

For today’s specific hours, the most reliable method is using each chain’s official store finder. Lidl Ireland’s store locator (Lidl Ireland Store Finder) allows you to search by address and see real-time opening times.

How to find store-specific hours today

• Use Google Maps and look for the “popular times” feature, which shows live status.
• Visit the supermarket’s website and enter your location.
• Call the store directly—especially on public holidays.

The implication: Even within the same chain, hours can differ between city-centre and suburban branches. A Tesco in Dublin’s city centre may close earlier on a bank holiday than a larger suburban one.

Are Tesco stores closed on New Year’s Day?

Tesco opening hours on New Year’s Day

• Evidence from bank holiday patterns: larger Tesco stores typically maintain normal hours on bank holidays (Irish Mirror (Irish news outlet)).
• On St. Stephen’s Day, some Tesco branches open after 12pm (CorkBeo (regional news)).
• New Year’s Day may follow a similar reduced schedule, but official confirmation is lacking.

For employees, Tesco’s handbook (a tier-3 document) suggests a standard starting rate of €10.99 per hour, but official Tesco Ireland listings for 2026 show a starting pay of £12.45 per hour for Dublin roles (Tesco Careers (corporate employment site)) – note that figure is in GBP, which complicates comparison.

Other supermarket hours on New Year’s Day

• Aldi’s published bank holiday schedule shows normal Sunday hours on most bank holidays (Aldi Ireland (official retailer)).
• Lidl’s store finder is the only authoritative source for New Year’s Day.
• Dunnes and SuperValu generally operate on Sunday hours.

The catch: Without an official company statement for each chain, the safest bet is to assume Sunday-style hours (9am–9pm or later start) on New Year’s Day.

Is Tesco open on St. Patrick’s Day?

Tesco St. Patrick’s Day hours

• St. Patrick’s Day is a public holiday; based on patterns from St. Stephen’s Day, Tesco may open after 12pm (CorkBeo (regional news)).
• Large stores may stay open until 10pm, but smaller ones could close earlier.

Supermarket hours for St. Patrick’s Day

• Aldi operates on its bank holiday schedule (9am–9pm) (Aldi Ireland (official retailer)).
• Lidl’s pattern from previous bank holidays suggests a 9am–9pm or later opening (Irish Mirror (Irish news outlet)).

What color is offensive on St. Patrick’s Day?

Orange is considered offensive by some due to its association with the Order of the Orange (a well-established cultural fact). Stick with green to avoid any unintended symbolism.

The implication: While St. Patrick’s Day is a major retail day, shoppers should not assume regular hours – most chains treat it as a bank holiday with later starts.

How much do Lidl staff get paid an hour?

Lidl Ireland hourly wages in 2026

• Customer assistant (year 1): €15.40 per hour (Lidl Ireland Careers (official employer site)).
• Customer assistant (year 4+): €17.90 per hour.
• Warehouse operative: starting €15.40, rising to €17.90 after 3 years (Lidl Ireland Careers (official employer site)).
• Bank holiday pay: additional premium, examples €29.60–€33.80 per hour for some roles (Lidl Ireland Careers (official employer site)).

Lidl also committed to matching the recommended living wage of €15.40 per hour in early 2026 (RTÉ (Irish public broadcaster)). This means all new hires start at a rate significantly above the €13.30 national minimum wage.

Pay rates for different roles

• Store managers earn an average of €45,000–€55,000 per year according to Indeed data (tier 3, low confidence).
• Unsocial hours (midnight to 7am) attract a premium, but exact figures are not published.

Why this matters: Lidl’s pay scale is transparent and officially published, giving job seekers a clear floor of €15.40 – a full €2.10 above the statutory minimum.

Who pays better, Lidl or Aldi?

Wage comparison between Lidl and Aldi

The table below reveals how the two discount retailers stack up on compensation:

The two major discounters are neck-and-neck on base pay. Aldi does not publish its hourly rate as openly as Lidl, but employee reviews suggest a similar starting level. The 13th salary, if real, would give Lidl a slight edge, but its absence from official listings cloud the picture.

Benefits and perks

• Lidl offers supplementary pay for unsocial hours, overtime, and bank holidays (Lidl Ireland Careers (official employer site)).
• Aldi provides similar benefits, though details are less transparent.

The trade-off: For job seekers, Lidl’s published bands give certainty; Aldi’s opacity may hide equally competitive offers.

What is the 13 rule at Lidl?

Explanation of the 13th salary

• The “13th salary” means employees receive an extra month’s pay each year, effectively 13 monthly salaries.
• This is a common benefit in European retail, but Lidl Ireland’s official 2026 job ads do not explicitly mention it.
• Employee reviews on Glassdoor and Indeed frequently cite the 13th pay as a perk, but these are user-reported and not confirmed by the company.

The 13th salary, if accurate, would add roughly 8.3% to annual base earnings. Combined with the above-minimum hourly rate, Lidl’s total compensation package becomes quite attractive.

How it works in Ireland

Unlike the statutory Christmas bonus in some European countries, Ireland has no law mandating a 13th salary. Lidl’s policy is purely contractual.

The catch: Without a direct mention in official job descriptions, job seekers should ask during interviews whether the 13th salary applies to their exact role.

Timeline: key holiday dates

The pattern of holiday hours across major chains is consistent but not guaranteed:

Confirmed and unclear facts

Expert perspectives

Most larger Tesco supermarkets in Ireland keep normal 8am to 10pm hours on the August bank holiday weekend.

– Irish Mirror, August 2025 report on supermarket hours

Some stores open after 12pm on St. Stephen’s Day, so it’s worth checking your local branch.

– CorkBeo, covering Tesco’s holiday schedule

For anyone relying on a last-minute shop this bank holiday, the safest move is to check the store’s official website or Google Maps before heading out. And for job seekers, the choice between Lidl and Aldi is narrowing: both now pay well above minimum wage, but Lidl’s supplementary pay structure, including bank holiday premiums, may offer a slight edge.

Frequently asked questions