With the festive season fast approaching, the daunting task of the big Christmas shop is looming for many. The perennial question of where to find the perfect balance between quality and value has a surprising new answer, according to one of the UK's most trusted money experts.
The Costco Christmas Advantage
In his recent MoneySavingExpert newsletter published on November 18, 2025, Martin Lewis revealed that the wholesale warehouse Costco is the real 'winner' for Christmas dinner essentials and gifts this year. This recommendation comes despite Waitrose recently being crowned the 'best' for Christmas 2025, with Aldi taking second place.
Costco operates as a members-only wholesale warehouse, selling everything from food and drink to clothing, electronics, and toiletries in bulk at discounted prices. There are currently 29 stores across the UK, but access requires an annual membership starting from £42 (£35 plus VAT). This fee provides both online and in-warehouse shopping privileges and includes two membership cards.
Substantial Savings on Branded Festive Goods
The MoneySavingExpert team conducted a price comparison in November 2025, analysing a random sample of 15 popular Christmas products. Their findings, based on data from Trolley.co.uk and Google Shopping, were striking.
Costco was found to be the 'cheapest' for 14 out of the 15 branded products analysed. The comparison highlights significant savings on festive favourites:
- Albert Bartlett Rooster potatoes (5kg): £4.99 at Costco vs. £5.58 elsewhere
- Courvoisier Cognac VS (1L): £31.18 at Costco vs. £37.14 elsewhere
- Hallmark gift bags (20): £11.98 at Costco vs. £19.95 elsewhere
- Lindt Teddy 3D advent calendar: £17.98 at Costco vs. £25 elsewhere
- Long Clawson Stilton (454g): £4.99 at Costco vs. £8.80 elsewhere
- Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Champagne (75cl): £40.78 at Costco vs. £49 elsewhere
Other items where Costco offered the best price included a Paco Rabanne Lady Million gift set and the Carrera GO! Mario Kart car race set.
Important Considerations for Shoppers
While the potential for savings is clear, the MoneySavingExpert report included several important caveats for prospective Costco shoppers. The team advised consumers to 'bear in mind items can come in jumbo sizes, so consider how much you can actually chomp through.' This bulk-buying model is ideal for large households or big festive gatherings but may lead to waste for smaller families.
Furthermore, all the prices featured were warehouse prices, with online purchases typically being more expensive. The report also highlighted that shoppers looking to absolutely minimise costs could 'usually save even more' by opting for supermarket own-brand products instead of brands.
For example, while John Ross smoked salmon (454g) was £7.99 at Costco, the equivalent amount of Aldi's own-brand salmon worked out at just £6.74. Similarly, Costco's Tom Smith crackers with silver-plated favours (pack of 8) were priced at £29.98, whereas Dunelm sells a basic pack of eight for just £6.
The warehouse environment itself can also be overwhelming, with one first-time visitor describing it as 'chaotic' and advising that it 'isn't for the weak,' especially on weekends. They recommended sticking to a strict shopping list to avoid impulse purchases on the vast array of non-essential items.
For those who meet the membership criteria and are planning a large Christmas celebration, Costco presents a compelling case for significant savings on branded festive products, even after accounting for the annual membership fee.
