Hot cross buns have soared in price by as much as 44% in the mults and discounters this year, amid tight supplies of sultanas and butter.
The Grocer analysed the base prices of 29 SKUs available this year and last in the traditional big four, Waitrose, Aldi, Iceland and Lidl.
Our analysis revealed 22 pre-promotional prices have risen by an average of 12.2%, five have stuck at the same price and only two are cheaper [Assosia 25 March 2024 vs 14 April 2025].
Morrisons The Best Extra Fruity Hot Cross Buns 4 Pack, for instance, has rocketed 44% from £1.25 to £1.80.
Sainsbury’s Fruity Hot Cross Buns Taste the Difference 4 Pack is up 20% from £1.50 to £1.80, while No.1 Belgian Chocolate Hot Cross Buns 4 Pack has risen by 20%, from £2.50 to £3 in Waitrose.
Tesco Finest Extra Fruity Hot Cross Buns 4 Pack is 12.5% pricier this year, rising from £1.60 to £1.80.
“High wholesale prices for butter combined with a poor harvest of sultanas in Turkey has pushed up the price of hot cross buns,” Harvir Dhillon, economist at the British Retail Consortium, told The Grocer.
Promotional offers
“Despite this, retailers are doing their best to ensure everyone can have an affordable Easter, with plenty of deals available to savvy shoppers,” Dhillon added.
Indeed, most of the retailers are running promotional offers on the affected hot cross bun lines in the run-up to Easter.
Morrisons The Best Extra Fruity Hot Cross Buns 4 Pack is currently on promotion for More Card holders at £1.50, while Sainsbury’s Taste the Difference Fruity Hot Cross Buns 4 Pack is available on Nectar Prices for £1.25.
“While no retailer is immune to inflation, our No.1 Hot Cross Buns are currently on special offer at £2.50,” a spokesman for Waitrose told The Grocer.
“In addition, our wider range meets all budgets and tastes – for example, our ‘two for £3’ offer on mid-tier buns is one of the most generous on the market, offering excellent value without requiring a loyalty card,” he added.
A Tesco spokesman told The Grocer: “We have a great range of hot cross buns at Tesco this Easter – from our core Tesco six-pack, price matched to Aldi at just £1.05, to our Tesco Finest hot cross buns range, which includes six delicious varieties and is currently two packs for £3 on Clubcard Prices.”
Commodity prices
It comes after Turkish sultana prices climbed to an all-time high of $4,060 per metric tonne in July 2024, following a poor crop in the 2023/24 season, caused by mildew disease and heavy rains. They have since fallen to $3,075 per metric tonne [Expana 9 April 2025].
“Sultana prices have been slowly coming down over the past several months due to waning demand as the market previously climbed to an all-time high,” Jara Zicha, Expana senior market analyst for nuts, dried fruits & spices told The Grocer.
“Exports from Turkey are significantly down y-o-y as manufacturers have been cutting down the use of sultanas/raisins,” Zicha explained.
“However, there was a major frost event in Turkey last week which will probably change the market dynamics again.”
Despite ongoing market pressures, the average base price of a 500g pack of own-label sultanas has risen by 4% year-on-year to £1.31, according to The Grocer’s KVI Tracker [Assosia 52 w/e 10 April 2025]
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