Brits warned over soaring Christmas market prices as new analysis reveals what festive favourites could cost by 2030
The Christmas lights were switched on at St. Katharine Docks by actor David Suchet. Other highlights from the evening included a choir performing Christmas carols, are large fairy-lit anchor on Marble Quay and a giant Santa hat on the piazza. © Lucy Young 2017 07799118984 lucyyounguk@gmail.com www.lucyyoungphotos.co.uk
New analysis predicts a Christmas market trip could soon cost families around £60 as seasonal staples like hot chocolate, mulled wine, bratwurst and beer continue to rise faster than inflation.
Research by Where The Trade Buys, one of the UK’s leading print suppliers to the hospitality sector, analysed food and drink prices across major UK Christmas markets between 2022 and 2025 to project how much festive favourites could cost by 2030 and beyond.
The findings show that hot chocolate is on track for one of the sharpest rises, increasing from an average of £5.98 this year to £7.79 by the end of the decade, and reaching £14.97 by 2040 if current year-on-year trends continue.
Bratwurst prices could climb from an average of £8.15 today to £10.05 by 2030, while mulled wine, currently costing £6.72 on average, is projected to rise to £8.38 by 2030, £10.46 by 2035 and more than £13 by 2040.
Beer is also on course for a major jump, rising from an average of £7.07 a pint to around £8 by 2030, and reaching £10.13 by 2040 if current trends continue.
A speciality Bailey’s hot chocolate – a festive favourite at this time of year – follows the same pattern, rising from an average of £8.24 a cup to more than £10 by 2030 and nearly £15 within the next 15 years.
However, the biggest shock comes from the projected total cost of a Christmas market visit. A typical basket, consisting of two mulled wines, two hot chocolates, two bratwursts and one beer, currently costs an average of £48.77. By 2030, this is projected to reach £59.73, rising further to £73.18 by 2035, and almost £90 by 2040.
Emma Thompson, Marketing Director at Where The Trade Buys, said: “Christmas markets remain one of the most popular festive traditions in the UK, but consumers are facing increasing prices each year. If that pattern continues, visitors might become more selective about what they buy at Christmas markets in future.
“That doesn’t mean people will stop going to their favourite markets, but it does show how quickly seasonal prices can rise, especially when food, drink and supplier costs are under pressure.”
“If prices continue to rise at this pace, we may start to see visitors adjusting their spending habits, whether that’s choosing fewer treats, making shorter visits, or prioritising more affordable markets over others.”
Vendors have previously cited energy costs, higher stock prices and supply chain challenges as reasons behind rising menu prices.
The data also shows clear price differences across cities this festive period, based on individual market price lists. Edinburgh and Glasgow currently have the highest bratwurst prices at £9.00 and £9.50 respectively, while London’s Winter Wonderland leads on mulled wine at £7.40.
Cardiff remains one of the most affordable markets on the list, with mulled wine at £6.00 and hot chocolates from £4.00.
Visitors also report noticing year-on-year differences, with one Reddit user commenting: “I love Christmas, but I’m not paying Christmas market prices – every year I look and decide it’s just not worth being ripped off.”
Another added: “I’ve yet to see a Christmas market that’s genuinely good value – they keep getting more expensive and more underwhelming every year.”
Users also highlighted the growing price gap between UK markets and those in Europe, with one commenter noting the “astounding” difference in cost between Edinburgh and major European markets, while several users suggested that visiting a European market can, in some cases, feel cheaper overall – even after factoring in travel and accommodation costs.
