Brits face mince pie misery as three major supermarkets DOUBLE cost of festive treat in huge blow to shoppers

BRITS are facing a festive blow as the price of mince pies has doubled in supermarkets this Christmas.

Rising costs of key ingredients like sultanas and butter have been blamed for the hike.

The world's largest producer of sultanas, Turkey, has experienced two years of poor weather, leading to reduced crop yields and skyrocketing prices.

Tesco's premium mince pies has seen some of the biggest hikes.

Its Spiced Rum Mince Pies, All Butter Pastry Mini Mince Pies, and Frangipane Mince Pies have risen by 40 per cent from £2.50 to £3.50.

Meanwhile, Iceland's Luxury 6 butter Mince Pies are up 16 per cent from £2.50 to £3.

While is basic six-pack of mince pies have gone from £1.25 to £1.45.

Aldi's Holly Lane 6 Deep Filled Mince Pies and Iced Mince Pies are both up 15 per cent from £1.09 to £1.25.

And Asda's The Bakery 6 Mince Pies have also increased by 15 per cent, now costing £1.25, up from £1.09.

Even premium ranges haven't escaped the hikes.

Waitrose's 6 Butter Mince Pies rose from £2.50 to £2.75.

Across all major supermarkets mince pies are on average 26 per cent pricier than last year, according to market research from The Grocer.

The soaring cost of sultanas is a major factor.

Heavy rain and disease in Turkey's sultanas growing regions have slashed harvests, pushing prices to record highs earlier this year.

Although they've recently dipped slightly, sultanas prices are still more than double what they were two years ago.

Butter costs have also contributed to the increase, with tight milk and cream supplies pushing wholesale butter prices up by as much as 60 per cent compared to last year.

Retailers insist they are working hard to keep costs down.

A Tesco spokesperson said: "We have an extensive range of mince pies on Clubcard Prices until December 25th and the majority of sales are made using Clubcard."

Havir Dhillon, Economist at the BRC, said: "Rising Wholesale prices for butter combined with a poor harvest of sultanas in Turkey has pushed up the price of mince pies.

"Despite this, retailers are doing their best to ensure everyone can have an affordable and festive time this Christmas, with plenty of deals available to savvy shoppers."

Tesco, Sainsbury's, and Waitrose all claim their mince pies remain competitively priced, with many offering festive promotions to offset the impact.