The cost of a traditional Christmas dinner for four people is up by just 1.3% on last year – well below overall grocery price inflation, research has revealed.
That means an increase of 41p, making a turkey and all the trimmings cost £31.71.
Analysts Kantar said it was good news for hard-pressed consumers as fierce competition between supermarkets is seeing certain items on the festive plate falling in price.
Brussels sprouts are now 4.3% cheaper than 12 months ago, while Christmas puddings are 2.4% less. And sparkling wine costs 5.9% less on average.
But shoppers will have to fork out even more money for turkeys this Christmas, with average costs jumping by 6% compared with 2022, according to research by The Grocer magazine and analysts Assosia.
Prices soared last year after bird flu hit supplies, and they have climbed again as food and energy costs have risen,.
Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar, said: “The scene is set for record-breaking spending through the supermarket tills this Christmas. The festive period is always a bumper one for the grocers, with consumers buying on average 10% more items than in a typical month. Some of the increase, of course, will also be driven by the ongoing price inflation we’ve seen this year.”
Overall, grocery inflation slowed again in November to 9.1%, down from October’s 9.7%.
Supermarket sales are expected to surpass £13billion for the first time this December, with December 22 set to be the busiest day for festive grocery shopping.
It comes as the British Retail Consortium expressed concern about sales volumes more widely in the run-up to Christmas, fearing that cost-of-living pressures are taking their toll on budgets.
After official figures showed sales at Covid lockdown levels during October, the BRC suggested that encouraging signs for spending in early November did not hold up for the month as a whole.
BRC chief executive Helen Dickinson said: “Black Friday began earlier this year as retailers tried to give sales a boost in November. While this had the desired effect initially, the momentum failed to hold through the month, as households held back on Christmas spending.”
