Christmas Puddings Down 7%, Mince Pies Down 4%
Sales of seasonal pies and puddings took a hit last year as they fell out of favour during the festive season. Mince pie sales slumped by four per cent in December, while Christmas pudding sales were down by seven per cent.
Record Spending on Christmas Food
Despite the decline in pie and pudding sales, British shoppers still managed to splurge a record-breaking £13.7 billion on food for the Christmas season. According to data from Kantar, the average household spent £477 on food in December, £28 more than the previous year.
Reasons for Increased Spending
One reason for the increase in spending was the higher cost of food compared to the previous year. Additionally, shoppers were eager to celebrate Christmas without Covid restrictions or major rail strikes, leading to a seven per cent increase in spending and a two per cent increase in food purchases.
Discounts and Promotions Attract Shoppers
The lure of discounted prices and promotions by supermarkets also played a role in enticing shoppers. Kantar's Fraser McKevitt noted that nearly a third of all items purchased in the four weeks leading up to Christmas were on promotion.
Lidl and Aldi Come Out on Top
Discount grocers Lidl and Aldi were the winners of the season, with sales increasing by 13.8 per cent and 9.9 per cent respectively in December. Sainsbury's also saw a significant sales increase of 9.3 per cent, outperforming rivals Asda (3.4 per cent) and Morrisons (3.2 per cent). Iceland experienced the smallest sales increase, up just 2.9 per cent.
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