Sainsbury’s and Argos offering 17,500 Christmas jobs across the UK

Sainsbury’s and Argos are recruiting 17,500 seasonal workers across the UK ahead of Christmas, giving students and other young people the chance to earn money during the festive period.

The temporary positions will be available across Sainsbury’s supermarkets, convenience stores, Argos shops, warehouses and online fulfilment operations. Staff will help keep shelves stocked, pick online orders and support deliveries during one of the busiest times of the year for retailers.

The vacancies cover a range of roles, depending on location and business needs. These include in-store positions, warehouse work, online order fulfilment and driving jobs.

Seasonal colleagues will be employed on fixed-term contracts lasting between four and 12 weeks, making the positions potentially suitable for people looking for short term work rather than a permanent commitment.

Pay rates vary according to the role and location, but, as a guideline, typical hourly rates are:

• In-store jobs: £13.23 to £14.54 per hour
• Argos driver jobs: £14.23 to £15.54 per hour
• Sainsbury’s driver jobs: £14.73 to £16.04 per hour

In addition to decent pay, seasonal recruits benefit from several colleague perks during their time with Sainsbury’s and Argos. These include free food during shifts and a 10 per cent colleague discount at both retailers. The Sainsbury’s discount increases to 15 per cent on Fridays and Saturdays.

Announcing the festive recruitment drive for 2026, Sainsbury’s Chief Retail, Logistics and Supply Chain Officer, Tracey Clements, said: “Christmas is always a special time for our customers and colleagues and our seasonal team members help make it happen. We look forward to welcoming thousands of new colleagues who will help us deliver great-tasting festive food, brilliant service and fantastic value across our stores, fulfilment centres and delivery operations.”

“Whether someone is joining us for the first time or returning for another Christmas, they’ll play an important role in helping customers celebrate,” added Ms Clements.

Applications are now open through the Sainsbury’s Christmas Careers website. You can also speak to your local store for more information about seasonal vacancies in your area.

If you're interested, it's worth checking which roles are available near you and looking carefully at the contract length, working hours and requirements before applying.

Christmas retail work can be a way to earn extra money, build customer service skills and gain experience that may be useful when applying for future jobs. Check out our latest crop of Christmas jobs for students now!