Iceland freezes prices of Christmas turkeys as bird flu outbreak prompts 32% price hike at UK supermarkets

Iceland is freezing the prices of its own-brand frozen turkeys this Christmas to help support customers struggling with the rising cost of living.

It comes as ongoing issues with supply chains and an outbreak of bird flu in the UK has led to a 32% increase in prices at rival UK supermarkets.

The frozen food retailer has pledged not to pass the same price increases onto its customers by keeping the cost of its own-brand turkey range fixed. The supermarket is also guaranteeing that shoppers will be able to get a great value festive centrepiece this year by bringing back its popular ‘Turkey Insurance’.

To guarantee a turkey in time for Christmas customers must register for an Iceland account online and ensure their marketing preferences are turned on to receive emails. An email with all the details on securing a turkey will be sent out soon to customers who are registered.

Shoppers must create an account before Friday 18 November to receive the Turkey Insurance information and will have until 18 December to bag their turkey and a delivery slot.

Those opting to get their turkey early to store in their freezers until the big day will be able to shop the full turkey and Christmas centrepiece range from Monday 14 December.

Iceland’s affordable range of frozen turkeys start from £10 and the entire range will be available to buy online and instore from Monday 14 November

Richard Walker, Managing Director at Iceland Foods said: “As a cost of living initiative to support our customers ahead of Christmas we’ve been working hard for months to ensure that everyone can buy their Christmas dinner at a low price.

“Recent news has suggested there’s been price increases on frozen turkeys as the outbreak of avian flu takes hold; we will be freezing our prices and will do until Christmas. We also want to reassure our customers with the re-launch of our popular Turkey Insurance, which guarantees a delivery slot along with the promise of a turkey this year.”

Bird flu outbreak could impact Christmas dinners

A Defra minister has admitted that Christmas dinners could be affected this year as millions of turkeys and other birds are culled amid a devastating avian flu outbreak.

Lord Benyon told the House of Lords that he could not guarantee the traditional turkey lunch would not be affected by the epidemic, but insisted there is no need to panic buy. He sought to reassure the public that the UK has a “resilient supply chain” that can cope with such an outbreak.

The international environment minister said: “We are seeing increasing number of turkeys falling prey to this disease, but at the moment, the situation for Christmas turkeys is there or thereabouts OK. But I wouldn’t like to predict, if it carried on at the current rate, there wouldn’t be some impact.”

Lord Benyon admitted that the sheer number of birds that have been culled or died “can’t not have an effect on the supply chain”, but added: “It is a resilient supply chain, there are alternatives that can come from elsewhere, but we want to make sure people are eating healthy, British-reared turkeys….There’s no need, there’s absolutely no need for people to rush out and panic buy. This is a very resilient supply chain and we are talking to retailers and others regularly and keeping them informed as well.”

Baroness Hayman, who served as shadow Defra secretary from 2017 to 2019, also warned of the trouble ahead. She said: “We understand the outbreak has spread at a much faster rate this year and that we are six weeks ahead of where we were this time last year.

“Turkey and geese farmers have warned that if the situation is not resolved then we could face severe shortages over Christmas.”

The government has focused on biosecurity to tackle the UK’s largest ever outbreak of avian influenza and has also enforced a housing order in England, where poultry are to be kept inside from 7 November. The government is also allowing farmers to slaughter their turkeys early, freeze and then defrost and sell as fresh later in the year.