Chocoholics have witnessed a significant surge in the prices of certain holiday treats, with some items now costing up to 72% more compared to last year’s Christmas, according to recent research.
The consumer group, Which?, has reported notable price increases in various seasonal essentials. Monitoring over 25,000 food and beverage products in eight supermarkets throughout the year, Which? identified a substantial average price hike of 14.2% in the chocolate category due to factors like ongoing cocoa harvest challenges and supply disruptions.
Among the affected products, a Lindt Lindor milk chocolate truffles treat box (37g) at Asda soared from £1.15 to £1.98, marking a steep 72.2% increase. Similarly, at Morrisons, the price of Lindt Milk Chocolate Teddy Christmas Tree Decorations rose from £3.50 to £6, representing a 71.4% escalation.
Further price spikes were observed at Morrisons, with a 40g Lindt Christmas milk chocolate Teddy increasing from £1.50 to £2.50, and at Tesco, a 145g Terry’s Chocolate Orange Dark Ball jumping from £1.50 to £2.50, a two-thirds increase.
Additionally, Which? highlighted significant price hikes in the Christmas turkey category, with prices up by 4.7% year-on-year for fresh whole birds, crowns, and other cuts. Factors such as bird flu outbreaks and escalating operational costs for farmers have impacted individual prices, exemplified by a £14.95 rise in the cost of a Tesco Finest Free Range Bronze Turkey Crown Medium (2.99kg).
The Which? tracker revealed that Waitrose experienced the highest price increase of 6.2% in the year leading up to November, while Asda maintained the lowest rate at 3%, surpassing discount competitors Aldi and Lidl.
Reena Sewraz, Which? Retail Editor, emphasized the importance of monitoring individual item prices, noting that shoppers can save money by choosing supermarkets with lower inflation rates such as Aldi, Lidl, and Asda.
Responding to the findings, an Asda spokesperson emphasized the supermarket’s commitment to keeping prices low across all products, highlighting accessibility and affordability for all shoppers. Similarly, a Morrisons spokesperson reiterated the brand’s dedication to offering quality products at competitive prices, with additional benefits for More Card members.
At Reach and its entities, user data is collected to enhance site experience and provide personalized advertising through cookies and identifiers. Opt-out options are available to manage data preferences, ensuring user consent and privacy practices compliance.