Supply issues see frozen turkey sales surge ahead of Christmas
Sales of frozen turkeys have almost doubled this year as eager shoppers stock up for Christmas.
Supply chain issues, worker shortages and worries over empty shelves have led Britons to make sure they have everything they need to celebrate, with many having missed out on celebrations in 2020 due to lockdown.
Frozen stuffing sales have also climbed by a fifth in the four weeks to 3 October compared to the same period last year, while other savoury festive items have gone up by nine per cent, new data from market analysts Kantar shows.
Kantar’s consumer insight director Eden Plummer told i: “In the wider market, grocery sales and frozen food sales have fallen versus last year.
“But frozen Christmas food, such as turkey and stuffing, has gone up significantly. Consumers are making sure they can celebrate after many weren’t able to last year.”
The British Frozen Food Federation (BFFF) said supermarkets across the board have reported a sales jump.
Both Marks and Spencer and Iceland have seen frozen Christmas food sales rise by up to 500 per cent over the same period, with the retailer having already sold 25,000 birds.
Iceland said searched for the word ‘Christmas’ on its website had reached over 17,000, while the logistics and storage specialist Reed Boardall said demand for seasonal stock was “much higher than normal”.
BFFF chief executive Richard Harrow said customers had identified frozen food’s “longer shelf life, value and convenience”, but also said: “This combined with current concerns about food supply means many people will be opting for frozen food this Christmas.”
Kyle Monk, hea d of retail insight at the British Retail Consor tium, said rising Covid numbers and ongoing economic uncertainty is also having an impact on shopping habits.
“Retailers are doing everything they can to protect their customers, prioritising the food and other products necessary for customers to make the most out of the festive season," he said.
“Given rising Covid case numbers, recent supply chain disruption and ongoing economic uncertainty, it is no surprise that a small proportion of consumers are choosing to shop a little earlier than usual.
“This can be a good way to spread the cost of food and gifts over the festive season as well as avoiding the December rush.”
Meanwhile UK haulage industry bosses told the Prime Minister to "act now to prevent a Christmas crisis" as a result of continuing lorry driver shortages.
In a letter to Boris Johnson, more than 1,600 haulage sector bosses, led by the Road Haulage Association (RHA), warn that without de cisive action there is a "risk of further damage to not only our businesses and livelihoods, but the UK'S integrated and finely balanced supply chains".
The letter calls for HGV drivers to be added to the shortage occupation list for at least 12 months, for reform to driver certification to help the return of retired drivers, and an HGV taskforce.