Turkey and mulled wine: Traditional Christmas items Britons may abandon due to cost of living

Searches for Christmas turkey are down by a third

British shoppers might lean toward a less traditional Christmas celebration this year as people struggle to make ends meet amid the cost of living crisis.

Research has found that it’s likely people will opt to forgo some Christmas “staples”, such as the traditional turkey and mulled wine, as well as seasonal favourites like Bucks Fizz, pigs in blankets and Christmas crackers.

A comparison of Google data from October 2021 and this October shows a 36 per cent decrease in the number of searches for Christmas turkey, and a 60 per cent reduced interest in mulled wine.

While it is tradition for many Britons to enjoy a glass of Bucks Fizz on Christmas morning, searches for the popular alcoholic drink were down 31 per cent.

People might also be inclined to cut the number of side dishes they serve during Christmas lunch, with pigs in blankets seeing a 29 per cent decrease in searches, according to the research from Ask Gamblers.

Experts suggested shoppers may opt to replace pigs in blankets with cheaper alternatives, such as roasted parsnips or cauliflower cheese.

Britons may also make savings elsewhere at Christmas with the decorations.

Searches for Christmas trees are down 18 per cent, and baubles by 20 per cent. Similarly, interest in tinsel and Christmas lights has waned by almost a fifth, and advent calendars were searched 12 per cent less.

The news comes as people across the UK are struggling to afford their gas and electricity bills, and food prices continue to rocket.

A survey of 3,000 people, carried out by BBC’s Good Food, found that rising costs are having a significant impact on what people are buying and eating.

It found that people have reduced their consumption of alcohol by as much as 22 per cent, while a quarter of respondents said they are less likely to make a weekly Sunday roast.