Lidl becomes pearl of the posh food wars as it opens up oyster offer

A battle over upmarket food items has broken out among retailers in the runup to Christmas, with the discount retailer Lidl announcing on Friday that it is to sell the cheapest fresh oysters on the high street.

Supermarkets have ramped up their Christmas offerings with luxuries such as lobster, crab, and Serrano and Ibérico ham as they battle for shoppers’ custom with bargain basement prices.

Lidl’s fresh oysters will cost just £2.79 for a pack of six and will go on sale from 20 December until Christmas. The “Live Pacific Oysters” are farmed through a Scottish co-operative – Pacific refers to the fact that the oyster is native to the Pacific coast of Asia.

Alexandra Scholes, buying manager at Lidl UK, said: “We know from the popularity of the whole lobsters that people are not afraid of being more adventurous when it comes to home dining. These fresh oysters are the latest addition to our seasonal deluxe range and I am proud to have been able to source these in partnership with our trusted Scottish co-operative. You’d be hard pushed to find half a dozen fresh oysters at this great price.”

Frozen food giant Iceland sparked lobster wars last month with what it claimed was the cheapest cooked crustacean in Britain. For the first time, the supermarket is selling whole, cooked lobster for £5 – now matched by Asda.

Barry Williams, Asda’s chief merchandising officer of food said: “We’ve worked hard to source the very best posh food for pocket-money prices this Christmas. Whether it’s whole lobster, British roast beef, or a bottle of premium fizz, unlike other supermarkets, we’ve got it in all our stores, up and down the country. Luxury really doesn’t have to cost the earth.”

Oyster fans can also buy them sourced from the seafood brand Loch Fyne from online retailer Ocado, which uses special packaging to ensure the oysters reach customers in perfect condition. Waitrose also sells oysters at 79p each.