02 December 2023 , 00:01
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Aldi has been crowned cheapest for Christmas dinner essentials, with budget rival Lidl only slightly behind with a price difference of just 4p.
Which? analysed the prices of 12 products - a medium frozen turkey crown, pigs in blankets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, parsnips, cauliflower, broccoli, peas, potatoes, stock, cranberry sauce and a Christmas pudding - at seven supermarkets. Aldi was named the overall cheapest for these Christmas goods at £33.80, narrowly beating rival Lidl where it cost £33.84.
The most expensive supermarket was Waitrose, which was £18.88 more expensive at £52.68. The medium turkey crown was the priciest item across all of the supermarkets - ranging from £15.49 at Aldi and Lidl, all the way to £26 on average at Waitrose.
Which? found that the biggest percentage price difference was for cranberry sauce. Aldi whole cranberry sauce (200g) was 59p while at Waitrose, own-brand Waitrose wild cranberry sauce (205g) was £2.20 - a 270% increase. Its research also showed the price of a medium turkey increased the most at Tesco and Morrisons. The price at Tesco went from £17 on average in 2022 to £19.50 in 2023, while the price at Morrisons was £21.99 on average in 2022 but has gone up to £25.35 for the same size in 2023.
Which? compared prices between November 6 and November 27, 2023. Its analysis includes special offers but not loyalty card promotions or multi-buy discounts. Ocado was not included in the full analysis this year, as it doesn't stock a comparable frozen turkey crown.
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Ele Clark, Which? Retail Editor, said: “With food prices still very high, we know lots of people will be feeling the pinch this Christmas so it’s good to know that there are significant savings to be made by choosing one of the cheaper supermarkets. While Aldi and Lidl were the cheapest retailers in our analysis, two traditional supermarkets were not far behind, meaning most people are likely to live reasonably close to a store where they could pick up their turkey and other festive essentials for under £40.”
Cheapest supermarkets for Christmas dinner essentials
- Aldi - £33.80
- Lidl - £33.84
- Asda - £37.01
- Tesco - £39.49
- Sainsbury’s - £44.81
- Morrisons - £45.34
- Waitrose - £52.68
Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi, said: "We couldn't be more delighted that Which? has found Aldi to be the cheapest supermarket for Brits to buy their Christmas dinner this year - supporting our customers in the face of the cost of living crisis remains a priority for us and it’s great to see our efforts recognised. We know people will be conscious of what they're spending this Christmas, and we're pleased to offer such incredible savings vs our competitors, without compromising on quality."
A Sainsbury’s spokesperson said, “Yet again Which? is drawing extremely misleading conclusions, based on a bizarre selection of products and out of date prices. This research simply does not reflect the phenomenal value that customers will find when they shop with us this festive season.
“At Sainsbury’s, from 19th December you can feed six for Christmas for less than £20 with Nectar Prices – less than half the price claimed by this research. Our own label items, many of which have not been accounted for in this research, also offer outstanding value. For example our Gravy Granules are currently just 65p and 2kg of potatoes are just 99p.”
An Asda spokesperson said: “We want to make Christmas affordable for all customers, so we’re really pleased to have been recognised by Which? as the cheapest traditional supermarket for Christmas dinner this year. We have hundreds of branded and own-brand festive products this year at Asda, including our frozen Christmas dinner bundle for six for £25. The bundle works out at £4.17 per head and all the products included are cheaper than last year by an average of 8%.”
Andrew Opie, Director of Food & Sustainability at the BRC, said: “Supermarkets are working round the clock to deliver the best value they can for their customers. Many are introducing further discounts in the run up to Christmas as they seek to support their customers through the rising cost of living, though this will not be accounted for by Which as its analysis has taken place over a month before Christmas.”