It’s not even Christmas yet but some shops have got Easter eggs out on their shelves. Yes, where once you wouldn’t have spotted a Creme Egg before at least Boxing Day, some stores have them – and shell eggs – out on their shelves already. According to news reports, bargain store B&M has them out already and it has certainly got them a lot of publicity.
We all know why this is, people see them, buy them and eat them – then have to buy more for Easter. And boy do people buy them. According to Kantar research, 38 million chocolate eggs and treats were bought in the week running up to Easter Sunday 2023, which was five million more than in 2022. Households spent, on average, nearly £14 on Easter chocolate during April 2023, which Kantar says works out at around six packs, on average.
The reason for the popularity of chocolate eggs is the ‘feelgood’ factor according to Mintel. Its survey of 1,772 people found that 81% of them described chocolate as an ‘affordable treat’ with 56% saying that eating premium chocolate boosted their mood.
However, the cost-of-living crisis hung over Easter last year, with significant numbers of consumers looking for products on promotion or simply reducing the number of gifts they purchased. And Mintel says value will still be top of the agenda in 2024, but an easing of inflation may leave “greater opportunities for retailers”.
The research firm expects higher-earning consumers to trade up into premium products while those on a budget may spread their spending over a longer period. Interestingly, the company says that while spending for Valentine’s Day is curtailed if people are short of money, they are less likely to forego Easter eggs.
There is good news for forecourt stores in that Easter egg purchasing is convenience-driven, with 86% of consumers usually buying chocolate products that are easily located in-store. This means eye-catching displays near the entrance of the store and on the way to the tills.
Seasonal planning
To make the most of the Easter sales opportunity, Mondelez advises retailers to split it into three phases: getting off to a fast start (from January 1 to Valentine’s Day – February 14); building momentum (from Valentine’s Day to Mother’s Day on March 10), and then gearing up for a ‘gifting finish’ for the last three weeks before Easter Sunday on March 31.
The ‘fast start’ phase focuses on shoppers looking for small treats for themselves, such as Cadbury Creme Egg and Cadbury Mini Eggs. Retailers should note that 70% of Easter sales pre-Valentine’s Day are Mini Eggs and Filled Eggs (Nielsen) and are advised to focus on the top 10 SKUs to help signpost the forthcoming Easter season.
Mondelez says 2023 was a “brilliant year” for Cadbury Creme Egg, as its first-ever innovation – Cadbury White Creme Egg – accounted for 25% of all filled singles sales (Nielsen). It was the number one new product in the market at Easter and resulted in 127 Cadbury Creme Eggs being purchased every minute on average across the brand.
For 2024, the Find the Winning Egg campaign returns with Mondelez saying it is bigger than ever. Shoppers will be encouraged to keep an eye out for a half-milk chocolate, half-white chocolate Cadbury Creme Egg. If they find one, they will be rewarded with one of the hundreds of cash prizes on offer, including the chance to nab the top prize of £10,000. Mondelez says that in 2024 there will be more winning eggs than ever before.
Once again, retailers who sell a winning egg could win the top prize of £1,000 for themselves and their store. In addition to this, there are also a number of other cash prizes up for grabs, ranging from £25- £500, as well as Amazon vouchers.
Find the Winning Egg will be supported by social, digital and outdoor activations as well as pos material. Retailers need to display the half milk chocolate, half white chocolate Cadbury Creme Egg pos during the promotional period (December 26, 2023, to March 31, 2024) for the chance of a winning egg being placed within their store.
New products = new sales
New products are always key to driving growth at Easter and Mondelez’s answer to this is the Cadbury Creme Egg tablet.
According to Kantar data, the Cadbury Creme Egg brand sees ‘buy in’ from one in four households during the Easter season, allowing it to achieve brand awareness of 95%. Mondelez reckons retailers can use the allure of the Cadbury Creme Egg to get consumers to try the new 123g bar.
Another big hit for Easter is Cadbury Mini Eggs, which grew by 19% in 2023 (Nielsen). The product boasts being the number one Easter brand with the highest penetration of any Easter brand (Nielsen). The handy bag size is an Easter staple and the brand has also enjoyed success with the launch of the Cadbury Mini Eggs Bar. For 2024, a 360g gifting format joins the portfolio, available nationwide for the first time.
