British shoppers are facing significantly higher costs for their festive groceries this year, with the price of some Christmas chocolates soaring by as much as 70 per cent, according to new research. A comprehensive study by consumer champion Which? has revealed the stark impact of inflation on the traditional Christmas shop, with turkey and premium products also seeing some of the largest cash increases.
Festive Treats Hit Hardest by Price Rises
The analysis found that chocolate has been the category worst-affected by inflation, with prices rising by 14.2 per cent overall. This is driven by ongoing issues with poor cocoa harvests and supply chain problems. Specific products have seen even more dramatic jumps.
At Asda, a box of Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles (37g) now costs £1.98, a 72 per cent increase from £1.15 last year. Similarly, Morrisons has increased the price of Lindt Milk Chocolate Teddy Christmas Tree Decorations (60g) by 71 per cent, from £3.50 to £6.00. Biscuits and butters & spreads were other high-inflation categories, rising 7.1 per cent and 6.3 per cent respectively.
Turkey and Premium Products See Biggest Cash Hikes
While percentage increases on chocolate are eye-watering, some of the largest monetary increases have been on higher-value items central to the Christmas dinner. Issues such as bird flu and rising operational costs for farmers have pushed turkey prices up substantially.
The research highlighted several stark examples. A Tesco Finest Free Range Bronze Turkey Crown (2.99kg) rose by £14.95, or 28 per cent, from £53.82 to £68.77. At Ocado, a KellyBronze Free Range Extra Large Turkey (6.5kg) increased by £14.63, from £117.00 to £131.63. Overall, the turkey category – including whole birds, crowns, and cuts – saw inflation of 4.7 per cent.
Sparkling drinks also climbed, with Belvoir Sparkling Elderflower Presse at Ocado up 37 per cent and La Gioiosa Prosecco at Morrisons rising 31 per cent. The study also noted that whole frozen turkeys are less available this year, after Waitrose announced it would no longer stock them due to falling demand.
Supermarket Inflation and How to Save
Which? tracks prices across eight major supermarkets. Its November data shows significant variation in inflation rates between retailers. Waitrose had the highest inflation rate at 6.2 per cent, followed by Sainsbury's at 5.4 per cent and Morrisons at 5.0 per cent. Asda (3.0 per cent) and Aldi (3.8 per cent) had the lowest.
The type of product also influenced price rises. Supermarkets' premium own-label ranges experienced the highest inflation at 8.2 per cent, followed by budget ranges at 6.6 per cent. Regular own-label and branded products had the lowest increase at 4.7 per cent.
Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, advised: "Shoppers worried about their finances this festive season can save money by shopping at Aldi, Lidl and Asda, which have among the lowest rates of inflation year on year. It's also a good idea to keep an eye on the unit price to compare deals effectively."
In response to the findings, a Sainsbury's spokesperson highlighted their Nectar Price offers, while an Asda spokesman noted their research-confirmed status as the supermarket with the lowest inflation. The British Retail Consortium's Andrew Opie argued the study was misleading as it did not reflect widespread discounts and loyalty prices.
For other Christmas staples, the picture was mixed. Stuffing rose 5.1 per cent, pigs in blankets 3.9 per cent, and Brussels sprouts 1.6 per cent. In a small piece of good news for consumers, the price of Christmas puddings actually fell by 1.9 per cent compared to last year.
