Research from Assosia which looked at the cost of seven essential elements for Christmas dinner from Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Morrisons, found that the average festive feast for five will cost £30.03 compared to £24.67 in 2021. The latest Kantar data has shown that the average festive dinner for four people will cost £31, almost 10 percent higher than last year.
Staples such as parsnips have risen by 30 percent, potatoes by 20 percent and a frozen turkey up by 15 percent this year.
The price of the ultimate Christmas dinner favourite, pigs in blankets, has risen by a shocking 42.7 percent for a packet of 12, given the soaring costs for chipolatas.
Brussels sprouts have also increased, with the average wholesale price rising by 30 pence per kilogram year-on-year.
Data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs released on Monday showed that sprouts are costing a third more this year.
Meanwhile, red cabbage has risen by 19 percent and carrots are up by 22 percent with food being one-sixth more expensive due to supply chain issues and the conflict in Ukraine.
Adding energy costs to the issue of food inflation, households will see that cooking and preparing the Christmas dinner will be 13 percent more expensive than last year.
Labour’s ex-Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds accused the Tories of “pickpocketing the purses and wallets of working families”, with many spending “most of this year just making sure they can keep the lights on”.
She added: “As well as everyday items, these higher prices on Christmas family items will be a double worry – especially for those with few savings to fall back on, such as single parents.”
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“Half of households are planning to change cooking methods to cut bills.”
Despite the bleak outlook, the UK may be starting to turn a corner as grocery inflation fell for the first time in 21 months.
Fraser McKevitt from Kantar noted that despite this, inflation still has “a long way to come down”.
