As Billy Ocean sang back in the hopeful 80s, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. Or in the case of the Brits, they get shopping. 

And after such a miserable year of endless wars, rising prices and political buffoonery, it’s no surprise we seriously got going this Christmas Ocean-style. Stocking up on festive fare was the big splurge with the average household spending a record £477 on groceries in the four weeks to 24 December – £28 more than the previous year.