Tesco Christmas Jobs 2026: 28,000+ Roles and How to Apply

Quick answer: Tesco Christmas jobs 2026 are open now. Tesco is recruiting more than 28,000 temporary colleagues across the UK, mainly to serve customers or pick online orders in Superstores and Extra stores, plus a few distribution centre roles. Apply online at Tesco Careers; no CV or experience is needed. Seasonal pay and closing dates are not stated.

Key takeaways

Tesco announced on 2 October 2026 that it is recruiting more than 28,000 temporary colleagues across the UK for Christmas.
Most roles involve serving customers or picking Grocery Home Delivery orders in Superstores and Extra stores, with a small number of distribution centre picking jobs.
Applications are made online through Tesco Careers, and Tesco says a CV is not required and no experience is necessary.
Seasonal pay is not stated, but Tesco agreed a 5.1% rise taking its standard hourly rate for store and online fulfilment staff to £13.28 from 29 March 2026, or £14.55 inside the M25.
Temporary colleagues may be able to move into permanent jobs after Christmas where positions become available.

Last updated: 12 October 2026

Tesco Christmas jobs 2026 are now open. On 2 October 2026 the supermarket said it is recruiting more than 28,000 temporary colleagues across the UK for the festive period, most of them in its larger stores. You do not need a CV or previous experience to apply. This guide sets out the confirmed details, what is still not stated, how pay compares with the legal minimum, and how to make a safe application.

How many Tesco Christmas jobs are there in 2026?

Tesco says it is taking on more than 28,000 temporary staff for Christmas 2026. That is larger than the seasonal hiring drives recently announced by two other big UK retail groups.

For comparison, The Retail Bulletin reports that Marks & Spencer (M&S) plans to recruit 11,000 seasonal colleagues, while Sainsbury's and Argos have launched a drive to fill 17,500 temporary roles. Tesco's figure is larger than either of those announcements.

What roles are available?

Most Tesco Christmas jobs 2026 are shop-floor and online-order roles in Superstores and Extra stores. A smaller number of warehouse positions are on offer too.

Here is how the confirmed roles break down, based on Tesco's own announcement:

Customer service in store: serving shoppers in Tesco Superstores and Extra stores during the Christmas rush.
Online picking in store: collecting items for Grocery Home Delivery orders.
Distribution centre picking: Tesco says only a small number of these roles are available at sites around the country.

Tesco has not published a split of the 28,000 places by role, region or nation, so you will need to search the careers site for vacancies near you in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Key details at a glance

The essentials are confirmed, but several practical points have not been published. Where Tesco has not given a detail, we say so rather than guess.

Employer: Tesco
Number of posts: more than 28,000 temporary colleagues
Location: across the UK, mainly Superstores and Extra stores, plus some distribution centres
Shifts: across the day, including early mornings and evenings
Requirements: no CV needed; Tesco says no experience is necessary
Hourly pay for seasonal roles: not stated in the announcement
Contract length and start dates: not stated
Minimum age: not stated
Closing date: not stated
How to apply: online, through the Christmas seasonal jobs page on Tesco Careers

How much do Tesco Christmas jobs pay?

Tesco has not stated a pay rate for its 2026 seasonal roles. The most useful guide is its standard hourly rate: Tesco agreed a rise taking pay for hourly-paid staff in stores and online fulfilment centres to £13.28 from 29 March 2026.

That 5.1% increase was agreed with the union Usdaw, according to Workplace Journal, which reported that the London allowance would rise to £1.27, taking the hourly rate inside the M25 to £14.55. Whether every temporary role is paid on these rates has not been confirmed, so check the figure on each advert before you apply.

Whatever the advert says, it cannot be lower than the legal minimum. The GOV.UK rates from April 2026 are:

National Living Wage (21 and over): £12.71 an hour
Aged 18 to 20: £10.85 an hour
Under 18: £8 an hour
Apprentice rate: £8 an hour

On those figures, Tesco's standard £13.28 rate sits 57p an hour above the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over.

How do you apply for a Tesco Christmas job?

You apply online through the Tesco Careers website, and Tesco says a CV is not required. The steps below will help you move quickly, because seasonal vacancies at popular stores can fill fast.

Go to the Tesco Careers site and open the Christmas seasonal jobs section.
Search for seasonal vacancies near you.
Read each advert for the store, role, hours and pay before choosing.
Complete the online application with your contact details and the shifts you can work.
Apply to more than one nearby store or role type to improve your chances.
Keep an eye on your email and phone for any follow-up from Tesco.

Be honest about your availability. Tesco says shifts are available across the day, including early mornings and evenings, so be clear about which shifts you can cover.

Can a Tesco Christmas job become permanent?

Yes, it can. Tesco says temporary colleagues will have opportunities to move into permanent jobs after Christmas, where positions become available.

The company has not said how many permanent roles it expects to offer. If you want to stay on, tell your manager early, ask what openings are likely in January and keep an eye on internal vacancies. Ela Golab, Tesco's group people services director, said the business wants to hear from applicants who may want to begin building a career with the retailer.

How to spot fake Tesco job offers

Large Christmas recruitment drives attract fraudsters, so only apply through Tesco's official careers website. A genuine employer will never ask you to pay to apply.

Genuine employers never charge for applications, uniforms, DBS checks or training up front.
Genuine employers never sell Certificates of Sponsorship. If a role involves visa sponsorship, check the employer on the Home Office register of licensed sponsors.
Be wary of anyone recruiting only via WhatsApp or Telegram, or offering a job without any application or interview.
Check that emails come from an official Tesco address and links lead to the official careers site.
Never share bank details until you have a genuine written offer and are completing official onboarding.

Common mistakes to avoid

The biggest mistake is waiting too long. Tesco has not published a closing date, so roles may close once individual stores have filled their places.

Applying to one store only, when nearby Superstores and Extra stores may have more openings.
Overstating your availability and then struggling to cover December shifts.
Accepting an offer without checking the hourly rate, hours and expected end date.
Ignoring the physical side of picking roles, which can involve long periods on your feet.

What this means for you

If you want short-term work this winter, Tesco Christmas jobs 2026 offer more places than the recent M&S or Sainsbury's and Argos drives, and the no-CV, no-experience approach suits students, returners and first-time jobseekers. Apply early, confirm the pay on the advert, and use only official channels.

You may also find these Jobsiz guides useful: Christmas Jobs 2026 UK: Who's Hiring and What They Pay, Sainsbury's Christmas Jobs 2026: Pay and How to Apply and National Living Wage 2026 Annual Salary UK.

Frequently asked questions

Is Tesco hiring for Christmas 2026?

Yes. Tesco said on 2 October 2026 that it is recruiting more than 28,000 temporary colleagues across the UK for the festive period. Most roles are in Superstores and Extra stores.

Do I need a CV to apply for a Tesco Christmas role?

No. Tesco says a CV is not required for its festive roles. You apply online through the Christmas seasonal jobs section of Tesco Careers.

How much does Tesco pay temporary Christmas staff?

Tesco has not stated a seasonal pay rate in its 2026 announcement. Tesco agreed a rise taking its standard hourly rate for store and online fulfilment staff to £13.28 from 29 March 2026, or £14.55 inside the M25, according to Workplace Journal, so check each advert for the exact rate.

Do I need experience to work at Tesco over Christmas?

No. Tesco's group people services director said no experience is necessary, just the right attitude. That makes the roles open to first-time jobseekers and people returning to work.

What is the closing date for Tesco Christmas jobs 2026?

Tesco has not stated a closing date. Vacancies may close once individual stores fill their places, so it is sensible to apply as early as possible.

Can a Tesco Christmas temp job become permanent?

It can. Tesco says temporary colleagues will have opportunities to move into permanent jobs after Christmas where positions become available, although it has not said how many.

Sources

This article was compiled by Jobsiz from the sources listed above, with AI-assisted writing and automated fact-checking. Published 12 October 2026. We update stories when new verified information becomes available.