Iceland Foods is hiring, and training, more than 1,800 seasonal drivers and retail assistants to support demand over the festive period.

The frozen food specialist said the roles, which must be filled by 28 November, will help its delivery network meet peak Christmas demand as drivers prepare to deliver to millions of homes across the UK.

The new positions are fixed-term contracts for 16 weeks, available on both full- and part-time hours. Staff will receive a 15% discount, and Iceland said many previous seasonal recruits have gone on to secure permanent roles.

Meanwhile, at the retailer’s Warrington depot, delivery drivers are training for the festive rush with a tongue-in-cheek workout routine.

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Swapping dumbbells for shopping bags packed with party food, drivers are tackling stairmasters and leg presses to prepare for what Iceland predicts will be millions of stairs climbed over the holiday season.

“Our drivers are the unsung heroes of Christmas,” said Paul Dhaliwal, chief commercial officer at Iceland Foods. “They don’t just go the extra mile – they go the extra flight, ensuring our customers get the very best service and their shopping delivered to their door, no matter what floor they live on.”

Iceland’s Christmas delivery slots open six days in advance, and customers are being urged to book early to secure their preferred dates.

“With more than a million stairs to climb and hundreds of thousands of turkeys and festive party food to deliver, we’re looking for more people to join our team this Christmas,” Dhaliwal added. “We need drivers up for the challenge of bringing joy and shopping bags to households up and down the country.”