How much more will Christmas dinner cost this year?
As Christmas approaches, many people are looking for ways to keep costs as low as possible during the festive season.
Combined with cold weather bills, gift buying and traveling home, it makes for an expensive time of year, especially as the Christmas food shop approaches.
Food inflation varies throughout the year, meaning this year’s dinner essentials will be a mixed bag. While some items rose above the 3.2 percent CPI level in November, others experienced a welcome lag.
This figure has reverted sharply from 3.6 percent to an eight-month low, thanks in part to a decline in food inflation.
But the lower rate means prices are rising more slowly, not falling, and are still some way off the Bank of England’s 2 per cent target.
Despite ongoing economic pressures, there are still ways for consumers to keep costs lower by planning where and what they buy in advance.
Here’s your guide to how much Christmas dinner will cost in 2025:
According to which consumer group, the biggest price increases this year are seen in stuffing, turkey and pigs in blankets. Annual price tracking shows that meat-based favorites of the dinner table will attract more shoppers this year.
But overall it’s better news for veggie lovers. While peas rose 3.5 percent in November (slightly above the inflation rate for the month), carrots exactly matched the CPI.
Others, such as potatoes, Brussels sprouts and parsnips, are all seeing relatively minor increases, meaning they are cheaper in real terms.
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This is even better news when it comes to treats like mince pies and sparkling wine; Very small increases are seen in both. Meanwhile, Christmas pudding has completely reversed this trend, becoming 1.8 per cent cheaper than last year.
Reena Sewraz, Which One? The retail editor said: “Christmas dinner is the peak of the festive season, but at an already expensive time of year, prices for Christmas food and drink staples have soared.
“For shoppers worried about their finances, you can save money by shopping at Aldi, Lidl and Asda, which have the lowest annual inflation rates and also tend to be the cheapest supermarkets overall.”
Will Christmas dinner be more expensive overall?
While some things may become more expensive, welcome declines in food inflation in recent months mean Christmas dinner could actually be slightly cheaper overall in 2025 than in 2024.
According to Worldpanel by Numerator figures, the average cost of a dinner for four will be £32.46, down a few pence from £32.57 in 2024 (a 6.5 per cent drop on the previous year).
The research group adds that this is largely thanks to retailers trying to entice customers with festive offers at a time when money is tight.
Worldpanel Head of Retail and Consumer Insights Fraser McKevitt says: “Retailers are making every effort to win over shoppers as they prepare for one of the most important trading periods of the year. “One in five households tell us they are struggling financially, and this has been broadly consistent over the past two years.
“With the cost of living still painful for many people this Christmas, just under a third of all spend goes towards promotion as supermarkets find ways to protect shoppers from the impact of price rises.”
