1. Easter 2024 saw chocolate confectionery volume sales soar 13.5%
2. Little and often could be key for Easter 2025
3. Self-eat value sales rose 5.9% last Easter
4. Extra large eggs are the fastest growing Mars Wrigley egg format – with a 39% unit increase
5. Easter’s not just about sweets and chocs
1. Easter 2024 saw chocolate confectionery volume sales soar 13.5%
Last spring was a cracking season for chocolate confectionery sales.
Both value and unit growth outperformed FMCG and confectionery at 13.5% and 2.4% respectively for Easter alone [NielsenIQ Scantrack. Total Easter, E24 13w we 30.03.24, E23 14w we 08.04.23]. Plus, stores also saw a 14% uplift in trip spend and a 6% surge in total visits [Kantar WPO Packaged Snacking, 13we 31 March 24 vs 14w/e 9 April 23].
Not bad considering that consumers were in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis.
This year Easter is later, with Easter Sunday falling on April 20, giving a much longer lead time to sell chocolate, and more time for consumers to buy Easter eggs, eat them and have to buy more.
Forecourt owner Goran Raven of Raven’s Budgens Abridge has gone big with Easter this year taking more premium stock than previously. He has developed a broader range from Bramble Foods which will apeal to adults. Lindt golf balls, a large single Ferrero Rocher and Lindt Gold Milk Bars, are among the mix.
“Standard lines like Mars Bar eggs are good for five to 11-year-olds, but once you get beyond that age hey have limited appeal,” says Raven.
Oasis Services in Long Riston, Hull has also been notching up his range to include bigger ticket products. ”Our number one product selling so far is 1kg Mini Egg bags for £14.99, they are flying out and we can’t get enough of them,” says its managing director Oliver Blake.
”I can see the Cadbury half and half milk and white chocolate and Mini Eggs inclusions eggs flying again this year,” he adds. ”They sold out within a week last year and at £14.99 there is some good cash to be had,” he adds.
Other good sellers for the business include the Terry’s chocolate single egg, which Blake says he wishes he could get more of. And having successfully trialled the Lindt 1kg bunny last year, at £50 a pop, the business has doubled the amount it has bought in for this Easter, with 12 of them retailing at £60.
“I never thought people would want them, but they definitely do,” says Blake.
2. Little and often could be key for Easter 2025
So, with consumer spending still constrained by inflation, how can retailers spring forward for 2025?
The key could be starting early and focusing on cheaper, more compact products. Especially since the occasion occurs right at the end of most school breaks, giving retailers an extra-long run-up to the Bank Holiday.
“Because we’ve got a longer season of Easter in 2025, we’re expecting this to result in an increase in units sold, especially in impulse and lower value items,” says Kathryn Hague, head of marketing at Hancocks and World of Sweets.
“Unlike shorter shopping windows, Easter will see a gradual buildup, so it’s essential to keep core £1-2 and £3-4 price points to appeal to shoppers and make sure you’re fully stocked for the whole Easter season – as most of the spending comes towards the end.”
Getting in early with impulse displays is already paying off for forecourt operators, such as Guy White, managing director of Laurels Service Station in Horncastle, Lincolnshire. “Shop wise already we are seeing great results on impulse Easter, including Creme Eggs and Mini Eggs, and small formats doing well,” says White.
“Because we are a transient site, we will wait until March to start displaying our Easter range of larger eggs, which are here ready to go. And Easter and the week before we will ensure that the forecourt is ready for business, with a big spring clean and everything looking good and ready to serve.
“This year we have ordered more higher value chocolate Easter eggs, and premium chocolate bars and boxes. Our customer is a little more last minute and impulse.”
Clare Newton, trade marketing manager at Swizzels, says that strategic planning of displays can encourgage sales in the run-up to Easter.
“Convenience retailers can appeal to those shopping early by placing smaller, more affordable items by the till to encourage shoppers to make an impulse purchase,” she says.
“The use of eye-catching seasonal displays, special early bird or limited time deals and stocking new, exciting Easter products can also help to attract customers who weren’t yet planning to make a start on their Easter shopping.”
3. Self-eat value sales rose 5.9% last Easter
With Easter now out on the shelves early it’s no surprise that self-eat and small-sharing packs are the big category winners, since both offer early-season treating moments in c-stores.
Small-sharing in particular is soaring – making it the fastest-growing portion of the chocolate confectionery category.
Mars Wrigley has targeted both segments with its M&M’s Crispy Bunny and Malteasers Popcorn Bunny NPD, alongside M&M’s Choco Mini Eggs and Galaxy Minstrels Mini Eggs.
And Nestle has been innovating in the category with its new Rowntree’s Jelly-Tastic Mini Egg Chocolate Bar, which retailers are tipping as a winner for this year. Oliver Blake of Oasis Services has high hopes for the product. “It arrives this Friday and I’m sure it is going to be a success,” he says.
Adding a limited-edition twist to an existing product is now an Easter tradition for brands. And new for 2025 are Drumstick Squashies, upgraded to look like Easter Chicks for a seasonal slant.
“There is always demand at Easter for new, innovative products within both chocolate and sugar confectionery, so retailers should stock up on limited-edition items, with standout packaging, and keep an eye on what’s trending to make sure they’re ahead of the game,” says Swizzels’ Newton.
For Hancocks and World of Sweets’ Hague this means new Chick N Mix Candy Cup is joining the Bonds’ range of top-selling cups. Plus, PAWPatrol and Spongebob Squarepants Candy Containers are also joining its selection of novelty treats this year.
“The products come with a sweet treat, sticker and cable accessory,” she says.
“The low price point of £1 makes them the perfect budget-friendly Easter treat for younger customers.”
4. Extra Large Eggs are the fastest growing Mars Wrigley egg format – with a 39% unit increase
Come Easter morning, most children will eggspect to find at least one large-sized egg from the Easter bunny. Yet retailers say, with shrinkflation rife shoppers might be put off buying bigger eggs (especially if they seem smaller than last year’s medium-sized offerings).
They’re also not a natural choice for c-stores that are already starved of space.
Forecourt operators’ experience shows that there is appetite for giant-sized products for Easter, with Goran Raven, like Oliver Blake, having great success with the one kilo Lindt Bunnies. Within three days of stocking two of them two weeks ago, Raven sold out, despite their £65 price tag.
“I was hoping to post about them on social media as we have four of five different sizes of Lindt Bunnies this year which would have looked great in a photo. But they sold before I got around to it,” he laughs.
“Next year I will definitely be buying half a dozen, as they not only sold really quickly they were a great statement in store that we are serious about our Easter range,” he adds.
Meanwhile, other retailers like to stack giant-sized eggs on top of fridges early on and then bring them down to the shop floor as April approaches to help signpost the occasion. And to ensure that all of the eggs are sold, putting them on a promotional bay-end over the Easter bank holiday is an effective tool.
5. Easter’s not just about sweets and chocs
Despite what many choc-crazed kids might think, Easter isn’t just about the eggs. The move towards getting social after winter means there’s plenty of opportunity to maximise food, booze – and even flowers.
“We will focus heavily on local bakery and hot cross buns are already selling well,” says forecourt operator Guy White. “We will order a vast amount the week leading up to Easter and ensure every day that we have good supply.”
Kate Abbotson, senior external communications manager, GB at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), says retailers should consider tapping into the social gatherings at Easter.
“Our Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola ready to drink (RTD) range – which includes variants with and without sugar – has generated over £55m worth of sales [Nielsen Totatl Coverage RTD Value March 2023 to 05.10.24] since it launched, and is a great option for Easter get togethers, offering hosts a convenient way to deliver a perfect serve every time, without the need for time-consuming mixing and preparation,” she says.
“We’ve also announced the launch of price-marked packs (PMPs) for our Jack Daniel’s and Coca-Cola alcohol ready-to-drink range to help convenience retailers provide visible value to shoppers and drive sales,” she says.
And don’t forget the crisps. KP Snacks is positioning Tyrrells as the perfect pairing with a variety of wines and ciders.
“Tyrrells crisps are growing +11.8% in the sharing segment [Nielsen IQ,Total Coverage, Total Value, MAT 30.11.24] and +13.4% in the premium category [Nielsen IQ,Total Coverage, Total Value, MAT 30.11.24], making Tyrrells 150g sharing bags key products to stock as consumers look to trade up to premium snacks this Easter,” says Stuart Graham, head of convenience and impulse at KP Snacks.
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