The Christmas buzz has begun, with people desperate to get the festive season started after the subdued affair of last year.
And Yuletide spending is predicted to surge this December, as customers splash out on presents, food and drinks.
Retailers are already encouraging us to make this Christmas a big one by selling hampers stuffed full of alcohol, cheese and chocolates – some of which are worth an eye-watering £1,000.
John Lewis, Marks & Spencer and Selfridges are just some of the shops looking to flog the pricey Christmas hauls – but could customers save hundreds by buying the items individually themselves?
The £1,000 hampers, including this one from John Lewis, offer a range of alcohol and treats
Consumers tempted to buy a hamper, whether it is £20 or £1,000, should check the value of the products inside as it is likely that the cost of buying it all separately would be considerably less.
This is Money has taken a look at the hampers on offer this Christmas, and worked out whether consumers could save by purchasing a selection of items individually.
We have also researched the best options available for every budget.
When items were exclusive to hampers, or prices were not available online, we worked out the cost of the nearest possible alternative.
Marks & Spencer
M&S’ £1,000 hamper works out at £575.70 – much cheaper than the retailer is charging
Marks & Spencer has released a range of hampers with prices ranging from £50 right up to £1,000.
The Berkeley Hamper is the priciest of the bunch. It comes with numerous bottles of wine, boxes of chocolate and other culinary delights.
In total there are 15 bottles of alcohol, several cakes and sweets as well as a variety of preserves.
However, when adding up the individual items within the hamper, customers could save more than £400 by purchasing all of the items separately.
In total, the combined cost, inclusive of the hamper itself, worked out at £575.70 – a massive £424.30 cheaper than buying the hamper at £1,000.
Therefore, customers looking to treat themselves and their families this Christmas should think carefully before buying.
Selfridges
Selfridges is also offering a number of hampers ranging from £50 to a whopping £5,000.
The Selfridges hamper contains numerous bottles of alcohol and cheese options
This is Money ran the rule over Selfridge’s £1,000 ‘Christmas Day Hamper’ which includes five bottles of alcohol, six cheeses and a number of chutneys.
It also offers a range of cakes, sweets and chocolates.
Altogether, the total cost of the items including the hamper itself came to £798.96 – some £201.04 short of the price customers are paying.
This shows that, yet again, consumers could save by purchasing the items within the hamper separately.
However, for some, it will be worth the cost due to the exclusive items and the ease of having it all delivered in one festive package.
Customers who do still want to purchase the hamper can order now and have it delivered from 20 December.
Other hamper options
There are a large number of luxury hampers available to purchase on the market.
This includes offerings from John Lewis which is providing a selection of hampers costing from £20 to £500.
The John Lewis & Partners All That Glitters Hamper, costing £500, is already out of stock.
Fortnum & Mason‘s cheapest hamper costs £75, but its selection ranges all the way up to £6,000.
The famous London store is also offering several £1,000 hampers including the Christmas Feast hamper, the Windsor hamper and the Drinks Banquet hamper.
The Christmas Feast hamper has 32 items inside including cognac butter, a King George Christmas Pudding and a Traditional Stilton Jar.
Claridge’s is also offering a range of hampers costing from £150 to £795 with bottles of champagne, cakes and chocolates appearing in the luxury versions.
The Couples Christmas Sharing hamper from Hampers.com costs £79 for a number of items
Budget options
Customers with a lower budget need not forfeit a festive hamper, as they also have a wide range of options to choose from.
Aldi is offering several starting from £19 and going up to £150. The budget supermarket’s Ultimate Celebration Hamper contains a large selection of preserves, chocolates, snacks and bottles of alcohol.
Lakeland is also offering a selection of hampers and food-filled tote bags ranging from £10 to £149.99.
Many of its treat-filled boxes, including the ‘Merriest Christmas Luxury Food Hamper’, priced at £149.99, are supplied by Hays Hampers.
Meanwhile, Hampers.com offers a wide range of options, starting from £55 and working up to £500.
This is Money also calculated how much its £79 Couples Christmas Sharing hamper would cost if the items were bought individually.
The package includes two cheeses, a bottle of prosecco, a candle, mince pies as well as other snacks.
It came to £70.40 – just £8.60 short of its asking price – suggesting the item could still be good value for money for many customers.
