It's beginning to look a lot liké skint-mas..

THERE have been demands for action on inflation by the opposition as some Christmas staples are set to cost 20% higher than last year.

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Sinn Fein's social protection spokesperson Louise O'Reilly has warned that it's set to be a "very grim winter" for a lot of people, especially after being let down by Budget 2026.

Grocery prices have risen at their fastest level since December 2023, with the rate of inflation at 6.5% for the past 12 months, according to retail analysts Worldpanel by Numerator.

This is almost three times the headline rate of inflation.

Analyst Emer Healy said a lack of one-off measures announced in the Budget puts more pressure on shoppers leading into the festive season.

She said: "The end of one-off payments such as the energy credit and double child benefit, along with rising fuel and other household costs, will put extra pressure on many families, especially as tax bands remain unchanged and some credits are no longer available."

Ms Healy said more shoppers are also relying on promotions to afford their weekly shop, with 10.2% more being spent on promotions over the last 12 weeks compared to the same period last year.