Cost of traditional Christmas dinner food ‘rises three times faster than wages’

TUC data shows 18% increase on staples over year, while category including cranberry sauce is up 33%

The cost of the items that make up a traditional Christmas dinner has risen three times faster than wages this year, according to research from the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

In a series of calculations to back its calls for more government action on the cost of living crisis, the trade union body said Christmas staples such as a turkey, pigs in blankets, carrots and roast potatoes had risen in price by an average of 18% in the space of a year, while wages had gone up by only 5.7%.