From the turkey on the table to the Baileys in your glass – the cost of Christmas dinner

This year rising costs are adding an extra pinch of spice to festive dinner planning.

With Christmas just weeks away, Sky News looks at the numbers to uncover how your shopping list has changed, from the turkey on the table to the Baileys in your glass.

For meat eaters, the star of the Christmas dinner table, the turkey, is gobbling up 4% more cash this year. The average price per kilo has risen to £4.39 from £4.22 in 2023, according to data from market research firm Assosia, which tracks average pre-promotion prices across Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Morrisons.

Rising turkey costs have been driven by high inflation, increased grain and energy prices, and challenges in securing seasonal farm labour following Brexit.

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“Over the last three seasons, inflation has been a factor but inflation was astronomical in 2022 for feed and energy,” said Jonathan Smith, a farmer at Great Garnetts Farm.

“As much as the price of feed has come off a little bit, the energy still remains significantly higher than it was. The availability of labour and what you have to pay to get labour, is also increasing.

“We’ve not been able to reduce costs but this season I haven’t seen as much inflationary pressure as I’d seen in the previous two seasons.”

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Labour’s Autumn Budget announcement to increase national insurance contributions for businesses has raised further concerns.

“It makes us look at what we’re doing and question whether it’s worth it,” Mr Smith said about the change.

“We have 10 full-time staff year-round and recruit up to 30 seasonal workers in December. The government isn’t doing my business any favours right now.”

Potatoes have seen the sharpest price hike, with a 2-2.5kg bag of Maris Piper potatoes going from £1.52 to £1.86, a rise of 41%.

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Other festive favourites are also costing more:

Part of the rise in the cost of mince pies could be due to two years of poor sultana harvests in Turkey.

There is some good news, though. Onion gravy granules and brussel sprouts are 7% cheaper, providing a small but savoury win.

A veggie Christmas

If your Christmas plate is plant-based, there’s a mixed bag of news.

The cost of a Quorn family roast has risen by 5%, now priced at £3.75, reflecting the overall trend of rising food prices.

However, there’s some relief for those with dietary restrictions, as free-from stuffing has dropped by 8%, offering a small saving for festive tables.

Unfortunately, free-from mince pies haven’t escaped inflation, with their price increasing by 5%, echoing the rise seen in traditional mince pies.

Drinks

It’s not all doom and gloom when it comes to drinks.

Mulled wine has become 3% cheaper, now costing £3.25, while Baileys has stayed steady at £21.99 – though it remains the priciest item on the festive shopping list.

For non-alcoholic drinkers, lemonade and orange juice prices haven’t changed.

Prices over time

While Baileys hasn’t changed in price since 2023, it has seen a significant increase over the past four years. Since 2020, the festive favourite has risen by £3.34, nearly a fifth more expensive than its cost back then.

Free-from stuffing has gone down by 15p and mulled wine has stayed as it was in 2020.

The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

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