Scrooges, look away now. . . turkey trimmings up 30pc

THE price of Christmas dinner favourites has risen by up to a third, a study has found.

Sauces, condiments, salt, spices and herbs used to make cranberry and bread sauce cost 33.2 per cent more than last year, according to a Trades Union Congress (TUC) analysis.

Pigs in blankets, turkey and potatoes rose by nearly a fifth and fresh or chilled vegetables excluding tubers went up by 12 per cent over the same period.

The increases come on top of rocketing energy prices – with the cost of gas soaring by 129 per cent.

Electricity went up by nearly twothirds (66 per cent) and food overall rose by 17 per cent in the year ending September, according to the analysis of government statistics.

The union firm found the overall cost of food for a traditional Christmas dinner increased on average by 18 per cent over the past year – three times faster than average wage increases of 5.7 per cent over the same period.

It added that if wages had gone up as much as the cost of a turkey this Christmas, the average worker would have an extra £76 a week in their pay packet.

The TUC said that families are facing a difficult festive period as the cost of cooking will be considerably more expensive this year because of rising energy prices, urging the Government to give cost of living pay rises for public sector workers and to increase the minimum wage to £15 an hour.

Frances O’grady, TUC general secretary, said: “The fact is many workers are dreading the new year. Ministers can no longer ignore the crisis facing working families.

‘If wages had gone up as much as the cost of turkeys, the average worker would have an extra £76 a week’

“The Government needs to shield families from the misery of the coming recession.

“That means raising the minimum wage to £15 an hour as soon as possible. It means a proper pay rise for our dedicated public sector workers, and it means getting wages rising across the economy for everyone.”

An option to help with the costs for some families could be air fryers, which can be up to three times cheaper to run than traditional ovens, according to research by consumer group Which?