Wild meats such as pheasant, venison and duck are the more affordable ethical choice this Christmas, according to British Game Assurance.

With bird flu has wreaking havoc on the free-range poultry sector, resulting in astronomical prices in some places, game remains as available and reasonably priced as previous years.

At this time of year, British shoppers are much more likely to be seeking out a high-welfare option for their Christmas table. Butchers suddenly find customers queuing down the street for free-range turkey, duck and goose. Sadly however, this year the cost of high welfare, farmed options is higher than ever.

Frozen or housed turkeys will likely still be readily available and, in certain places, small-scale producers can supply high-welfare free range birds.

Yet the cost of free-range birds still up for grabs can be prohibitive to those on sharp budgets, especially during a cost of living crisis. As such, British Game Assurance is encouraging shoppers to consider the benefits of choosing wild game.

Lean and high in protein, wild game is supremely free-range and has a lower carbon footprint than many farmed meats, yet availability is stable and the cost is much more affordable than other high-welfare options.

BGA CEO Liam Stokes said: “Some butchers and farm shops are having to sell high-welfare geese and turkeys for extraordinary money this year, while the traditional Christmas pheasant is as affordable as ever. We’ve seen local butchers having to charge £35 for a turkey crown, yet less than £10 for a brace of pheasants. Game is readily available in local shops, supermarkets and online. For the ethical shopper, this Christmas is a perfect time to make the switch to wild.”

Supermarkets selling game this Christmas include Sainsburys, Booths, Marks & Spencer, Waitrose and Aldi.

Meanwhile, EatWild is the BGA’s public-facing campaign for game, championing healthy living, environmental standards, high welfare and tasty versatility. To get people started in their game cooking journey, the EatWild shop stocks favourite cuts as well as  Christmas range – from whole bird roasts to pheasant sausages in blankets, while the easy recipes and ingredients provided take away all the guess work.

You can shop the EatWild range here.

You can find your nearest local outlet, and a range of online retailers stocking BGA-assured game here.