- Aldi is the best choice for a cost-effective Christmas dinner, priced at just £66.48
- With a price tag over £100, Sainsbury’s is the most expensive shop for Christmas groceries
- Tesco customers see the biggest price increase when upgrading to the luxury range
- Lucinda O’Brien, finance expert at Money.co.uk, comments on how to save on your Christmas dinner.
OVER a quarter (27%) of Brits are concerned about going into debt over the Christmas period, money.co.uk’s credit card statistics revealed. But when it comes to reducing the price of grocery bills, which supermarket charges the least for a traditional Christmas shop?
For people looking to save on their holiday shopping this year, money.co.uk sourced popular recipes, from roast turkey to Yorkshire puddings, and compared prices between UK supermarkets own brands to find which provided the best deals. The price gaps between supermarkets’ unbranded and luxury ranges were also analysed, to suggest the best ways for Brits to buy their Christmas dinner essentials.
Note to editors: If you would like to use any of the data within this release, we kindly ask that you provide a link to https://www.money.co.uk/credit-cards/credit-card-statistics as credit.
The cheapest supermarkets to buy Christmas dinner
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| Supermarket | Price increase on luxury range | Price of traditional Christmas Dinner (serves eight) |
| Aldi | +74% | £66.48 |
| Asda | +89% | £71.75 |
| Tesco | +109% | £72.91 |
| Morrisons | +99% | £74.89 |
| Waitrose | +65% | £97.76 |
| Sainsbury’s | +58% | £100.19 |
Costing £66.48 to serve eight people, Aldi is the cheapest supermarket for Brits to buy Christmas foods like pigs in blankets, roasted turkey, yorkshire puddings and other popular holiday dishes. That’s two thirds (66%) the price of Sainsbury’s products, the most expensive supermarket for Christmas groceries, at £100.19. Specifically, Aldi is the most cost-effective chain to buy festive foods like a turkey (£27.23 for 5-6 kg), brussel sprouts (£1.09 for 1kg) and pigs in blankets (£2.63 for eight servings).
For those interested in luxury items, products in Aldi’s specially selected line have a price increase of 74% on average. Aldi’s high-market bacon comes with the largest cost increase of 163%, from £2.27 for 16 rashers (unbranded) to £5.98.
Asda is the second best to save on Christmas groceries, with a price tag of £71.75 to serve eight people. The supermarket is the cheapest to get maris piper potatoes (£1.19 for 2kg), along with other vegetables like red cabbage (£0.80 for 1kg). Asda products see the third highest average price increase on their luxury range at 89%, behind Morrisons (+99%) and Tesco (+109%).
Costing £72.91 in unbranded ingredients to serve eight people, Tesco ranks third. While affordable unbranded items mean customers pay 25% less than at Waitrose, Tesco’s items more than double (+109%) if you’re shopping in their luxury range. Christmas essentials like parsnips see a 578% rise from £0.59 to £4.00 for 600g in Tesco’s Finest range, and 16 rashers of bacon rise by 177% from £2.94 to £8.13.
Where to shop for the cheapest Christmas groceries
| Item | Cheapest Price | Supermarket |
| Turkey (5-6kg) | £27.23 | Aldi |
| Potatoes (2kg) | £1.19 | Tesco, Morrisons, Aldi or Asda |
| Brussel sprouts (1kg) | £1.09 | Aldi |
| Red cabbage (1kg) | £0.80 | Asda |
| Carrots (1kg) | £0.39 | Tesco, Morrisons or Aldi |
| Parsnips (600g) | £0.59 | Tesco or Aldi |
| Yorkshire pudding ingredients (8 servings) | £0.68 | Tesco |
| Pigs in blankets ingredients (8 servings) | £2.63 | Aldi |
| Bacon and cranberry stuffing ingredients (24 balls) | £3.94 | Aldi |
Lucinda O’Brien, finance expert at money.co.uk, comments on how to cut down on the cost of Christmas dinner:
“Christmas dinner is usually a time for excess, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyed on a budget. Following these simple steps can help you to get a better deal and still serve a great menu for your guests:
- Cut out the branded foods. There’s no need to pay extra for big names, and in a lot of cases swapping out luxury brands for supermarket-own food can go unnoticed by guests, but your bank account will definitely feel the difference.
- Take advantage of introductory offers. Plenty of online supermarkets will give vouchers or discounts if delivering to you for the first time, so you can benefit from reduced costs in an ordinarily expensive time. Several credit card providers also offer cashback and other rewards when spending, so starting a new credit card deal, or taking advantage of one you already have, can help reduce the higher costs of shopping during the holidays.
- Start new traditions. The idea of breaking away from tradition during Christmas can seem counterintuitive, but if there are cheaper alternatives that appeal more to you than the usual turkey dinner, then starting a new tradition can be a cost-effective way to improve the holiday.”
