Lidl to offer £5 lobster

The Christmas lobster price war is fast becoming an institution - and this year Lidl has kicked off the battle by announcing its offering will cost just £4.99.

It is determined to counter accusations that low prices come at the cost of quality. The lobsters are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, and are fished from the waters of New Brunswick, Canada.

They are frozen locally before being shipped to the UK - like scampi, lobster freezes well - and Lidl is hoping customers will stock up now for Christmas.

Over the last few years, the supermarkets - and particularly the budget chains - have ramped up their luxury offerings for Christmas. On occasion, though, they've been accused of failing to deliver what they promise.

Last year, for example, caviar experts claimed that Aldi's 'Beluga caviar' was nothing of the sort, coming from a hybrid sturgeon rather than the real thing.

As a result, Aldi is aiming to reassure customers about the provenance of its seafood products. It's the first British supermarket to sell MSC assured whole lobster, and all its new ranges of fresh wild-caught fish are now MSC certified - 41 products in all.

The accreditation assures consumers that the lobsters have been sustainably produced, with a fishing season of just two months a year, and with smaller lobsters returned to the sea.

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Lobster has become a main focus of the Christmas price wars. Last year, Lidl's offering was £5.99 - and that was a pound more than Asda and Iceland.

That compares with a price of at least £10 at most shops.

However, lobster is only one of the luxury products that the budget retailers plan to tempt us with this year. Data from Kantar shows that both Aldi and Lidl have seen sales growth of over 17% in the last three months, and experts predict an all-out price war.

Last year, Aldi offered fresh scallops, fresh dressed crab, whole geese,and legs of Spanish serrano ham, as well as a five-bird-roast.

And this week, BBC Good Food Magazine will publish the results of its 2015 Christmas taste test - with Aldi winning the top prize for its almond-topped mince pies and Salted Caramel & Bourbon Glazed Ham Joint.