Lent is nearly over and Easter Sunday is coming up, which means shops are full of chocolate eggs to celebrate the Christian festival.
But, while lots of luxury, weird and wonderful options are on shelves this year, it has been noticed that Easter eggs are getting more expensive.
An investigation by Which? found that prices of the seasonal favourite have soared by up to 50 per cent – even though the cost of chocolate has risen only by 16.5 per cent.
In addition, Easter eggs are also falling victim to “shrinkflation”. This is the term for items becoming smaller in size but either staying the same price or becoming more expensive.
In one example, Which? found an 80g pouch of Terry's Chocolate Orange Mini Eggs cost 99p in Lidl last year but is now 70g and costs £1.35 from the same supermarket.
Read also: Best dairy free Easter eggs 2025 taste tested: Top picks from Hotel Chocolat, M&S and more
The study also found the Twix white chocolate Easter egg had risen in price from £5 to £6 while decreasing in weight from 316g to 258g.
As to where to find the cheapest options for buying Easter eggs, well it may sound obvious – but your local supermarket is most likely to be the place to go.
“Getting the cheapest deals as Easter rolls closer requires a little strategy,” wrote consumer expert Laura Forsyth for the Standard.
“Shops like Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda frequently offer multi-buy discounts or their own affordable versions. For premium options at a lower price, look out for discounts at Waitrose and M&S, particularly in the run-up to Easter weekend.”
Read also: Best Easter eggs for diabetics: Top picks that don't spike sugar levels
Why are Easter eggs going up in price?
As to why this is happening, all the major manufacturers were approached by Which?, and they blamed higher prices of cocoa for the increases on the shelves.
Data analysed by the Financial Times found that cocoa market prices were up by 143 per cent in the 12 months since January 2024. One reason is drought in west Africa, in particular in Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire, where much of the cocoa used by British manufacturers comes from.
The Standard has reprinted their statements in part. All were attributable to a spokesman.
Mars
“We will always absorb pricing pressures where we can, but rising manufacturing costs – driven in part by well-documented increases in the cost of cocoa – have meant that we’ve had to adjust some of our product sizes to minimise changes to list price, ensuring our snacks continue to deliver great quality and affordable value.”
Nestlé
“Like every manufacturer, we have seen significant increases in the cost of cocoa, making it much more expensive to manufacture our products.
“To maintain the same high-quality and delicious products that consumers know and love, it has sometimes been necessary to make adjustments to the price or weight of some of our products.”
Ocado
“With external factors continuing to push up the price of a range of commodities, we’re doing all we can to keep prices low for our customers. We also work closely with our suppliers to make sure pricing is fair without compromising on quality.”
Which? said it approached Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose as well as the parent company of Terry’s.
