Christmas lunch is one of the highlights of the festive season - with families routinely spending hours preparing a feast.
But the centrepiece of many of these lunches, the turkey, has been hard to track down for many households this year.
The festive birds were in short supply earlier in 2021, with demand for them soaring ahead of the festive period.
Many families managed to get a turkey early and freeze it to beat supermarket shortages, but others are relying on getting one closer to December 25.
So what happens if there's a problem with your pre-ordered turkey not arriving, or if it goes off before you can eat it?
The good news is that the law is on your side.
Your rights if your Christmas turkey doesn't show up in time
The word "Christmas" is key if your order does not arrive in time.
That's because, legally, goods have to be sold "as described", thanks to the Consumer Rights Act 2015.
If you buy a 'Christmas 'turkey that turns up after December 25, it is clearly not 'as described'.
This means you have at least 30 days to return the turkey for a refund.
But there are some steps you can take ahead of time too.
Where possible, when you order a turkey it is good to tell the shop in writing that the purchase is for Christmas Day, and to get written confirmation it will be delivered in time.
If something goes wrong with a Christmas purchase you should complain direct to the retailer first.
If they reject your complaint, or simply refuse to respond (you must give them up to eight weeks), you should ask if they will engage with RetailADR.
This is a free and independent alternative dispute resolution scheme for consumers.
Problems with your Christmas turkey on the day
The good news is the Consumer Rights Act covers you here as well.
It also requires that goods have to be sold at 'satisfactory quality'.
If your turkey has gone off by December 25, this breaches the act.
The only issue with getting a refund is you will need to provide evidence.
So take photographs of the problem and be prepared to show proof of purchase when getting a refund from the seller.
Even better news is that, as well as a refund, if a retailer has been found to have supplied unsatisfactory goods, they become liable for consequential losses.
That means you could get the rest of the ruined meal covered too.
Sadly, the problem has to be with the condition you bought the bird in - so if you've ruined it yourself while cooking then there's not a lot you can claim for.
As to what you can do about it, while it might not save your lunch, you should be able to get your money back at least.
