The exact date to avoid your supermarket to escape the Christmas crowds

Lillie Rohan

Published December 11, 2024 3:34pm Updated December 18, 2024 3:08pm

A group of customers queuing at the checkout, ready to pay for their groceries while shopping at their local supermarket. — Avoid the supermarket on this day if you don’t like crowds (Picture: Getty Images)

From last-minute gifts to scouring the aisles for the forgotten cranberry sauce, those pre-Christmas supermarket trips can be stressful.

So, to avoid the chaos this year, mark Monday, December 23, 2024, in your calendar, as it’s set to be the busiest food shopping day of the festive season.

According to new data, this is the exact date that people will be rushing to fill their cupboards and fridges, before beginning their Christmas celebrations.

However, the data by Kantar also showed that shoppers are already getting prepared.

A customer buys in a store. — Smiling blonde female shopper in Christmas sweater picking up Christmas food in shopping basket in store. (Credits: Getty Images)

‘There are clear signs that shoppers are already stocking up their cupboards,’ said Fraser McKevitt, head of retail and consumer insight at Kantar.

‘Sales of assorted sweet biscuits and biscuits for cheese both doubled in November compared with the month before, while 8% of us bought a Christmas pudding.’

How much is a Christmas dinner in 2024?

The cost of an average Christmas dinner for four has risen to £32.57, which is up by 6.5% from 2023.

Kantar say this is ‘largely driven by the price of turkey and Christmas vegetable staples’.

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How to save money on Christmas food

Finance expert Lara Jarvis previously shared her tips on how to save money on the Christmas food shop.

First things first, it’s all about budgeting. ‘Write down everything you will need to pay out for over the coming weeks,’ she says.

‘Not just presents but food, transport, lodgings, drinks, nights out etc.

‘Now you have your budget try and cut it back to the essential things. If it is too much for what you have set aside, then look at the areas you can reduce costs on.’

She also adds it’s a time to share the load: ‘When it comes to catering, don’t try to do it all on your own.

Woman shopping at a supermarket. She is looking at a shopping list on her phone. — Write a list to make things easier for yourself (Picture: Getty Images)

‘Ask each person to bring something towards the food and delegate them an area to cater – the Christmas pud, the cheese board or the welcome drink and some homemade sausage rolls to nibble on, for example.