Cost of a family Christmas dinner jumps by inflation-busting 6.5 per cent, damning figures reveal

THE cost of a family Christmas dinner has jumped by an inflation-busting 6.5 per cent, figures show.

Rising prices of turkey and the trimmings have pushed up the average festive feast to £32.57 for a family of four.

Spuds saw the biggest annual rise on the Yuletide table — a stonking 16.2 per cent higher than last year, and now making up £1.65 of the total.

Cauliflower is 14.6 per cent more expensive at £1.18.

Parsnips are up 12.7 per cent at 71p, and carrots are up 11.4 per cent at 49p.

The average frozen turkey is 8.5 per cent more expensive than last year at £13.08, according to market research analysts Kantar.

Some items rose in price less dramatically, with Christmas puddings up 4.4 per cent at £3.32, gravy granules up the same to £2.14 and Brussels sprouts up 1.1 per cent to 89p.

And revellers can raise a glass to toast the fact that sparkling wine remained the same price at an average £6.40 of the total.

Vegetable prices have been affected by wet weather ­earlier this year.

And potato farmers in particular have been hard hit by rising energy costs as spuds are kept refrigerated once harvested.

Shoppers hoping for bargains are expected to cash in on last-minute super­market promotions — with big chains expected to rake in a record £13billion over the festive period.

Fraser McKevitt, of Kantar, said: “Monday December 23 is likely to be the single busiest day for the supermarkets this year, although there are clear signs that shoppers are already stocking up their cupboards.

“Sales of assorted sweet biscuits and biscuits for cheese both doubled in November compared with the month before, while eight per cent of us bought a Christmas pudding.”