Revealed: The soaring cost of Christmas dinner staples

Soaring energy bills and food prices continue to hit families across the UK as the cost of living crisis shows no signs of subsiding.

Food inflation surged to 12.4% in the year to November, according to new data from the British Retail Consortium (BRC), sparking predictions of an “increasingly bleak” winter.

Rising prices are set to drive up the cost of a traditional Christmas dinner, with many of the foods typically eaten on the day seeing steep inflation.

Christmas turkeys will be significantly more expensive, with Office for National Statistics (ONS) data showing that the price of poultry has risen by 19.7% in the last year.

Roast potatoes will cost more too – potatoes have gone up in price by 19.9%, and prices of oils and fats used for cooking have surged by 33%.

Fresh vegetables are 11.9% more expensive than a year ago.

Separate inflation figures from Trolly.co.uk covering the year to November 2022 revealed Yorkshire puddings have gone up in price by 13.4%, and sausages by 7.2%.

In some better news, the price of some festive drinks has reduced.

Prosecco is 3.2% cheaper than this time last year, and Baileys has also reduced in price by 1.6%.

According to research firm Kantar, an average Christmas meal for four cost £27.48 last year.

Watch: Food prices have risen at a record rate - and these items are hardest hit

It comes after research suggested two thirds of adults are worried about being able to afford Christmas dinner.

A Salvation Army survey of 2,149 UK adults on 22 October by Savanta ComRes found that 67% of respondents are worried about affording festive food items.

The Salvation Army said the findings are a “red flag” as poverty creeps further into communities.

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Helen Dickinson OBE, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “Winter looks increasingly bleak as pressures on prices continue unabated.

“While there are signs that cost pressures, and price rises, might start to ease in 2023, Christmas cheer will be dampened this year as households cut back on seasonal spending in order to prioritise the essentials."

She added: “Retailers continue to do all they can to support their customers and ensure everyone can enjoy the festive season by fixing prices of many essentials, offering discounts to vulnerable groups, raising pay for their own people, and expanding their value ranges.”

The BRC-Nielsen IQ Shop Price Index showed fresh food inflation rose even higher to 14.3%, up from 13.3% last month, driven particularly by the cost of meat, eggs and dairy.