In brief

• Large Polish stores will be closed for four consecutive days, from December 24 to 27, 2026, because of the holiday calendar.
• Jerónimo Martins' finance chief said the closure is very difficult for Biedronka's operations and could cause stock losses.
• The last day to shop before the closure is Wednesday, December 23, and stores reopen on December 28.

Four closed days in the Christmas week

Because of how the calendar falls in 2026, large stores in Poland will stay shut from Thursday to Sunday in the week before the holidays. The closure covers December 24 to 27, with Christmas Eve on a Thursday followed by two holiday days and then a non-trading Sunday (SZOK. Cztery dni bez Biedronki, Lidla i Dino. W grudniu Polacy przeżyją zakupowy armagedon – 24wroclaw.pl) (Biedronka zamknie sklepy na 4 dni. "Bardzo trudne i niekorzystne" – WP Finanse). Shops are expected to reopen for regular sales on December 28.

Biedronka's concern

Ana Luisa Virginia, chief financial officer of Jerónimo Martins, the Portuguese group that owns Biedronka, said the company would be forced to close stores for four days in a row over Christmas. She described the situation as very difficult for operations and unfavorable even in terms of losses on stock (Biedronka szykuje się do zamknięcia sklepów na cztery dni. "Bardzo trudne i niekorzystne" – wiadomoscihandlowe.pl). She added that the company would make every effort to cope with the calendar arrangement, answering a question from a financial analyst about the calendar effects on Biedronka's sales.

Key dates before the closure

Wednesday, December 23, is the last day to shop before the holidays for customers of large stores. Media coverage has described the period as a shopping shock for Polish households, since December is the peak month for food purchases.

What shoppers should plan for

Customers who usually buy groceries in the days before Christmas will need to stock up by December 23. Stores outside the closure window will keep their normal hours, according to the calendar described in the reports.