Experts predict that the cost of Christmas dinner this year will remain steady compared to last year, despite the recent increase in food prices. According to market research firm Worldpanel by Numerator, the average price for a turkey and accompanying trimmings for a family of four is expected to be around £32.46, slightly lower than the previous year’s £32.57. This price stability is surprising given the overall grocery price inflation rate of 4.7% last month.
Retailers have intensified their promotional efforts to attract Christmas shoppers, recognizing that price-conscious consumers are prioritizing affordability when purchasing essential holiday food items. Worldpanel data reveals that the price of a frozen turkey has actually decreased by 3.6% to £13.52 compared to a year ago. Additionally, parsnips are 0.4% cheaper at 71p for four servings.
However, the cost of certain items has risen since last year, with cauliflower up by 4.2% to £1.22, carrots up by 5.5% to 52p, Brussels sprouts up by 3.6% to 92p, potatoes up by 1.1% to £1.67, and gravy granules seeing a 5.1% price increase to £2.23. Other items like stuffing mix have gone up by 6.9% to 96p, cranberry sauce by approximately 10% to 86p for four servings, Christmas pudding by 0.8% to £3.34, and sparkling wine by 1.7% to £6.51 per bottle.
Discount supermarket Aldi has announced that a festive meal for eight people can be purchased for less than £12, equating to under £1.50 per person. This offer, available from December 19 to Christmas Eve, includes seasonal vegetables that can be discounted to 8p as part of Aldi’s Christmas Super Six promotion.
Worldpanel by Numerator highlights that over 31% of supermarket purchases last month were made on promotion, slightly higher than the previous year’s 30%. Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight, emphasized that retailers are striving to accommodate financially strained consumers during the holiday season. Despite economic challenges, shoppers are still willing to spend on small luxuries, indicated by the increasing popularity of premium own-label products.
While chocolate prices have surged by 18.4% compared to last year, many households have purchased confectionery advent calendars and bottles of Champagne or sparkling wine. Online grocer Ocado has achieved a record market share of 2.2%, with sales rising by 15.8% in the last three months. Nevertheless, physical stores continue to dominate the grocery sector, with the days leading up to Christmas expected to be the busiest shopping period.
Lidl experienced the largest market share growth, gaining an additional 0.5 percentage points to reach 8.1%. Aldi’s sales increased by 4.1%, maintaining its market share at 10.5%. Sainsbury’s saw a 5.1% sales increase, raising its market share to 16%, while Asda struggled with a 4.3% decline in sales, holding a 11.5% market share.
Tesco remains the leading retailer, with sales climbing by 4.7% to nearly £10.2 billion in the three months leading to November’s end, boosting its market share to 28.3%.
