Christmas dinner will cost a little less this year thanks to falling turkey and Brussels sprout prices, according to new research conducted for the BBC.
The price of Brussels sprouts has dropped by 12%, while a 10lb (4.55kg) frozen turkey is now £1.21 cheaper compared to last year. However, not all festive staples saw price cuts—root vegetables have become more expensive after wet weather delayed planting earlier this year.
When combining all the trimmings, a family Christmas dinner is expected to cost £31.66 in 2024, slightly down from £32.18 in 2023. This reflects a slowing in food price inflation as the UK experiences easing overall inflation.
The annual price changes were tracked across major UK supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, and Lidl by retail analytics platform Assosia.
-Turkey: The centerpiece of the Christmas meal, the turkey, saw a 6% price drop.
Tom Copas, managing director of Copas Turkeys in Berkshire, attributed this stabilization to a recovery following “turbulent” years that had driven costs higher. However, Mr. Copas noted slower sales and increased demand for smaller turkeys, suggesting shoppers are being more cautious about spending.
– Brussels Sprouts: Prices are down by 12%, with a 500g bag costing 12p less than last year. John Inglis, senior commercial manager at ESG Drysdale, one of the UK’s largest sprout producers, said growing conditions have returned to normal after two challenging years of extreme weather.
– Root Vegetables: Prices surged due to weather disruptions.
-Potatoes: Maris Piper potatoes rose by 26%, with a 2kg bag now costing £1.99.
– Carrots: Prices increased by 13.4% to 69p per kilo.
Farmer Rodger Hobson explained that delayed planting caused by a wet spring, combined with difficult harvesting conditions, led to the price hikes.
Despite these increases, Mr. Hobson predicted supermarkets would slash carrot prices to as low as 20p per kilo during Christmas week as part of their annual discount strategies.
Supermarket Competition and “Loss Leaders”
Retail specialist Ged Futter explained that supermarkets often use staples like potatoes, carrots, and sprouts as loss leaders—products sold below cost to attract customers in the days leading up to Christmas. While this benefits shoppers, Futter emphasized that it fails to reflect the real production costs for farmers and contributes to food waste.
Christmas Desserts See Increases
Not all festive items saw price relief.
– Christmas puddings are up 11%.
– Mince pies rose by 5%, driven by higher costs of ingredients, packaging, and wages.
Jessica White, owner of Meg Rivers artisan bakery, noted rising expenses but chose to freeze prices for customers. She reported strong demand, with Christmas puddings selling out and additional stock being produced to meet a waiting list.
Cheapest Supermarket for Christmas Dinner
A BBC analysis compared prices of essential Christmas dinner items across the UK’s top five supermarkets: Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, and Aldi.
– Aldi emerged as the most affordable at £24.30.
– Asda followed at £28.22, with Morrisons and Sainsbury’s close behind.
– Tesco was the most expensive, with a basket cost of £36.51.
Prices are expected to fluctuate further as supermarkets ramp up competition closer to Christmas Day.
A bbc report
