Research reveals festive food price hikes and the supermarkets with the lowest – and highest – increases since last Christmas
Chocoholics have seen the price of some festive treats rocket by as much as 72% since last Christmas, research found.
It came as consumer group Which? discovered the cost of some other seasonal essentials had risen sharply. Which? keeps track of more than 25,000 food and drink products across eight supermarkets throughout the year.
When it looked at specific categories, it found the worst-affected by inflation was chocolate, where prices have jumped by an average 14.2% in the past year. Among the reasons are believed to be ongoing poor cocoa harvests and supply issues.
One of the worst was a Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles treat box at Asda (37g) that has gone costing £1.15 last year to £1.98 now – a hike of 72.2%. Similarly, at Morrisons, Lindt Milk Chocolate Teddy Christmas Tree Decorations went from £3.50 in 2024 to £6 now – an increase of 71.4%.
Also at Morrisons, a 40g size Lindt Christmas milk chocolate Teddy had gone from £1.50 to £2.50. And at Tesco, a 145g Terry’s Chocolate Orange Dark Ball had also leapt by around two thirds, from £1.50 to £2.50.
Another category where Which? found some big increases was the all-important Christmas turkey. For the category as a whole – which includes fresh whole birds, crowns and other smaller cuts – prices are up by 4.7% year-on-year.
However, problems such as bird flu and rising operational costs for farmers are having an impact on individual prices. In one of the highest cash increases Which? found, a Tesco Finest Free Range Bronze Turkey Crown Medium (2.99kg) had increased by £14.95 – from £53.82 to £68.77, a percentage increase of 27.8%.
The Which? tracker also showed prices at Waitrose have risen the most in the year to November, up 6.2%, while Asda’s was the lowest, at 3%, and beating even discount rivals Aldi and Lidl.
Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor said: “Which?’s findings show that blanket inflation figures often do not show the full picture of what shoppers face at the supermarket when doing their Christmas food shop, as some individual items have shot up by up to 70% in price year on year.
“Shoppers worried about their finances this festive season can save money by shopping in Aldi, Lidl and Asda, which have among the lowest rates of inflation year on year and also tend to be the cheapest supermarkets overall.
“It’s also a good idea when shopping at any time of year to keep an eye on the unit price as this makes it easier to compare across different pack sizes, brands and ranges to ensure you are getting the best deal.”
An Asda spokesperson did not comment on the Lindt price rise but did say: “The Which? research confirms Asda has the lowest inflation of any UK supermarket, including both discounters and reflects the investment we have made throughout the year to keeping prices low for our customers.
“This is especially important during the festive season when family budgets are under extra pressure. Unlike other full-range supermarkets, our low prices are available to all shoppers and not just those with a loyalty card.”
A Morrisons spokesperson said “At Morrisons, we remain committed to offering our customers great quality products at affordable prices at Christmas and throughout the year.
“Our More Card members can also earn More Points on every purchase and redeem those points for Fivers off their shopping. They also benefit from market-leading discounts as well as personalised offers and surprises.”
