As Easter Eggs have been on supermarket shelves since early January, market intelligence platform Vypr researched whether consumers were still planning to buy them, of which 67% of consumers said they planned to buy Easter Eggs, with just under 15% saying they were undecided. Just under 19% said they didn't plan to.
Easter is now an extended holiday for many families participating in Easter-related activities; Vypr said it wanted to know their planned activities during the Easter break. 86% of respondents said they'd buy their Easter Eggs from a supermarket, with less than 5% choosing to buy online or from a specialist chocolate shop such as Hotel Chocolat or Lindt. According to Vypr's research, just over 4% of consumers would buy an Easter egg from a convenience store.
As for brands … Cadbury's came out on top with 64% of consumers when asked which was their favourite Easter Egg brand. Mars (Galaxy, Malteasers etc.) was at 35% and specialist retailers Hotel Chocolat or Thorntons at 31%. Own brands, including Aldi, achieved 11% of the consumer choice, with independent brands being selected by 14% of consumers.
While chocolate plays a central role in Easter, Vypr asked what other treats would be purchased. 55% of respondents would have traditional hot cross buns this year. 35% of consumers said they'd buy flavoured versions (e.g. salted caramel, chocolate). 27% of respondents said they'd purchase Easter-shaped food such as crumpets, with 24% buying themed cakes. Only 12% said they wouldn't be buying anything else.
Ben Davies, Founder of Vypr, said: "Easter has grown substantially from its traditional routes to a much larger celebration. As a result, we have seen growth in Easter-related product offerings, providing consumers with more options. Food producers need to keep innovating around taste, texture and flavourings. For example, more than a dozen hot cross bun flavours now include savoury options. It's important for brand and product owners to look at how consumers' choices change by implementing regular insights around behaviour and pricing points."