The average price of Christmas dinner for four in Ireland has increased by 4.3% year on year to €30.97, according to the latest data from Kantar.
Emer Healy, retail analyst at Kantar, commented, "Grocery price inflation stands at 1.2% over the latest 12 weeks, as prices have been put under pressure by a series of supply chain issues complicated by Brexit and the pandemic.
"Shoppers will inevitably feel the impact on their Christmas budgets this year and we’re already seeing prices for some festive staples nudge up."
The data includes prices of a small fresh whole turkey, one kilogram ham, 400 grams of stuffing, a packet of mince pies, 500 grams of sprouts, 250 grams of gravy granules, 2.5 kilograms of potatoes, 500 grams of carrots, 500 grams of parsnips, one jar of cranberry sauce and one bottle of sparkling wine.
Grocery Sales
Grocery sales declined by 6.4% during the latest 12 weeks compared with the same period last year, but were 8.9% higher than 2019, data showed.
Sales of premium own-label products increased by 2.4% over the latest 12 weeks.
Healy added, "It’s important to remember that grocery sales are now being compared with last November when non-essential shops and offices were closed.
"But life in the latest four weeks has been very different to this time last year, as the hospitality sector is open and many people are working in the office for at least part of the week."
Online grocery sales saw a 14.3% growth over the past four weeks, with more than one in ten people purchasing groceries through the channel.
In this period, SuperValu and Tesco reported online sales growth of 8.8% and 11.4%, respectively.
Healy stated, "First-time online grocery converts were the main driver behind the jump in sales, showing the channel is yet to hit its ceiling in Ireland.
"We could see online orders grow even further as people start to limit time spent out of their homes under the latest restrictions."
Top Retailers
Dunnes Stores emerged as Ireland’s top retailer, with a market share of 22.8%.
The grocer benefited from an influx of new shoppers, a trend which added €34.6 million to its overall performance, Kantar added.
SuperValu’s market share stood at 22.1%, while Tesco held a 21.4% market share.
Healy stated, "While all of the major grocers achieved growth compared with two years ago, tough comparisons against the high sales of 2020 meant year-on-year grocery spend was down across the market.
"Various lockdowns have shifted the goalposts in terms of how and where people shop, and it will be interesting to see how new restrictions impact consumer behaviour over the festive period."
Aldi held a 12.5% market share in the period, followed by Lidl at 12.4%.
Read More: UK Grocery Sales Drop 3.8% Year-On-Year, Says Kantar
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