THE price of classic Christmas foods has gone up by over 20% compared to last year, new data reveals.
The price of six typical festive foods including chipolata sausages and Brussel sprouts has gone up by a total of £2.27 in the last 12 months.
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The same basket costed £9.92 in 2021 compared to £12.19 this year – a 22% increase.
Chipolata sausages have shot up the most, from £1.50 last year to £2.13 this year – a staggering 42.70% jump.
The data from retail research firm Assosia comes as households across the UK contend with a higher cost of living.
The consumer price index (CPI) level of inflation hit 11.1% in October, meaning the cost of everyday essentials, including food, has shot up.
Food prices have risen partly due to the war in Ukraine as it produces a lot of the world’s wheat, corn and barley.
That in turn has driven up the cost of bread, pasta, beer and cereals.
The data from Assosia comes after Which? revealed the cheapest supermarket to bag your Christmas shopping this year.
The consumer website compared the price of a festive feast across five major supermarkets – with Asda coming out the winner.
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How did the food items compare?
The data from Assosia looked at the prices of Brussel sprouts, turkey, chipolata sausages, potatoes, mince pies and onion gravy granules.
The prices were taken from November 29 last year and November 29 this year.
It’s worth bearing in mind Assosia based the data on the average price across Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi and Lidl.
The chipolatas were based on average prices across three out of the four major supermarkets.
So you might not actually get these prices when you head down to your nearest supermarket.
But they serve as an indication of what prices were across the major supermarkets last year and this year.
For all the items listed by Assosia we checked out where you can get them cheapest for currently to see if you could save any money.
The prices were based on online though so might be different at your nearest supermarket.
And remember, you should always shop around for the best prices.
Websites like trolley.co.uk let you compare thousands of products across a number of supermarket stores to find the best deals.
Brussel sprouts
Assosia found a 400g to 500g bag of fresh Brussel sprouts was on average £1.10 last year and £1.18 this year.
That’s a 7.48% rise, or 8p difference.
However, we found a 500g pack of sprouts for 95p on sale at Tesco.
Turkey
Assosia looked at the price per kilo of frozen turkeys weighing between 3.9 and 5.4 kilos.
Last year, the price was £3.60 per kilo on average compared to £4.35 this year.
That works out as a 21% jump, or 76p rise.
The cheapest turkey we could find, which weighed between 3.9 kilos to 5.2 kilos, was at Tesco for £18 – £4.60 per kilo.
Of course, prices will vary depending on the size you get.
Chipolatas
A pack of 12 pork chipolatas was £1.50 last year compared to £2.13 this year.
That’s a 64p jump or 42.70% rise, the biggest out of all the items.
However, when we looked, the cheapest supermarket for a 12 pack this year was Morrisons which was selling them for £2.
Potatoes
A 2 to 2.25 kilo bag of Maris Piper potatoes cost £1.17 last year compared to £1.56 this year.
That’s a 32.86% increase or 39p jump.
However, when we looked we found Sainsbury’s selling a 2.5 kilo bag for £1.
Gravy
A 200g to 300g tub of onion gravy granules was 76p last year compared to 89p this year.
So on average you’re paying 13p more, a 15% jump.
When we checked online we found both Tesco and Asda selling a 200g tub for 80p.
Mince pies
A pack of six premium mince pies was £1.79 last year compared to £2.08 this year.
That’s a 29p jump and 14% increase.
When we looked online, Sainsbury’s was selling a six pack of premium mince pies for £1.75.
How else can you save money on Christmas dinner?
There are other ways to save money this Christmas as the cost of living soars.
One supermarket is selling a £15 Christmas dinner deal which it says will feed a family of four.
But there are other things you can do as well.
Make a list
Heading out shopping unprepared can be a killer for your budget.
Instead, draw up a list of everything you want to buy to keep you focussed.
Taking the time to write down what you want will give you more time to think about how you could make extra savings too.
Go own brand
Consumer champion Martin Lewis has previously told households to take part in the “downshift challenge” which involves going for supermarkets own brand products.
He estimated it could save people 30%.
So opt for the “own” or “value” products next time as opposed to the “finest” type lines.
Buy wonky products
Sometimes supermarkets sell wonky or misshapen fruit and veg for cheap.
Lidl runs its Waste Not Scheme boxes which contain 5kg of fruit and vegetables that might be slightly damaged or discoloured but are still good to eat.
Other supermarkets offer similar schemes, including Asda.
You could try using an air fryer to cook your festive feast too – like Sun reporter Lucy Alderson.
