Huge change to Easter eggs including Cadbury and Lindt – and fans won’t be happy
CHOCOLATE fans are being hit this year by shrinking sizes and rising prices when picking up their Easter treats.
Several popular Easter eggs from brands such as Maltesers, Lindt and Cadbury now cost at least 50% more than a year ago.
The overall price of chocolate has risen by 12.6% in a year, compared to a 5.6% increase for food and drink in supermarkets generally. Which? has found.
It comes after dry weather in West Africa led to a spike in global cocoa prices.
In the steepest example of inflation: Which? found that a 286g Maltesers Truffles Luxury Easter Egg at Waitrose rose from £8 to £13 in the month to the end of February, compared to the same time a year ago – an increase of 62.5%.
At Asda, a five-pack of 50g Lindt Gold Bunny Milk Chocolate rose from an average of £2 to £3.11 – an increase of 55.6%.
At Tesco, the price of a 250g Ferrero Rocher Golden Easter Egg rose on average from £10 to £15 – an increase of 50%.
Which? also found that at Ocado a 1kg Cadbury Mini Eggs Large Pouch cost an average of £8.86 last February but is now £12.95 this year, an increase of 46.2%.
At Sainsbury’s, the price of a Kinder Easter with Surprise 36g rose from an average of £1.50 to £2, or an increase of 33.3%.
All prices were averages in the one month to the end of February 2023, compared to the same period this year.
However, it is important to note that loyalty card or multibuy prices are not included in the Which? analysis.
As well as price increases, the consumer champion also found examples of “shrinkflation” with a large Mars milk chocolate Easter egg falling from 252 grams last year to 201 grams in February at Morrisons and Tesco.
Similarly, a Terry’s chocolate orange Easter egg and mini eggs shrank from 230 grams last year to 200 grams this year at Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco, while a Smarties chocolate orange egg fell from 226 grams to 188 grams at Asda and Tesco.
While shoppers may think that downsizing is a sneaky tactic, there are no rules against it as long as the package is labeled with the correct size, weight and ingredients.
Which? retail editor Ele Clark said: “Easter eggs are a non-negotiable highlight of spring for many of us, but which ones? has discovered that paying for your chocolate haul will be trickier this year.
“To ensure you get the best value for your Easter chocolate, shop around and compare price per gram across different pack sizes, retailers and brands.”
All supermarkets and manufacturers of Mars, Smarties, Terrys and Twix have been contacted for comment.
Waitrose said: “We work incredibly hard to keep prices low and also have a wide range of special offers to help customers save even more.”
It added that eggs in the tracker are now actually cheaper – with Maltesers egg setters getting £8.50 back instead of £13.
Complete examples of Easter egg changes
BELOW are the results of the Which? tracker.
Price increases between February 2023 and February 2024:
- Maltesers Truffles Luxury Easter Egg 286g – from £8 to £13 at Waitrose
- Lindt 5 Gold Bunny Milk Chocolate 50g – from £2 to £3.11 at Asda
- Ferrero Rocher Golden Easter Egg 250g – from £10 to £15 at Tesco
- Cadbury Mini eggs, large bag 1kg – from €8.86 to €12.96 at Ocado
- Kinder Easter with Surprise 36g – from £1.50 to £2 at Sainsbury’s
Examples of shrinking packaging between 2023 and 2024:
- Mars milk chocolate large Easter egg – dropped from 252g to 201g at Morrisons and Asda
- Terry’s chocolate orange Easter egg and mini eggs – dropped from 230g to 200g at Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s and Tesco
- Smarties chocolate orange egg – down from 226g to 188g at Asda and Tesco
- Twix milk chocolate Easter egg – dropped from 246g to 200g at Tesco
A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley UK, which makes Mars, Maltesers and Twix, said the price increases are due to rising costs of raw materials and operations.
They added: “Reducing the size of some of our products and increasing prices is not a decision we have made lightly, but it is necessary for shoppers to still be able to enjoy their favorite Easter eggs without to make concessions on quality or taste.”
While Nestle, maker of Smarties, said: “Like any manufacturer, we have experienced significant cost increases, making our products much more expensive to manufacture.
“We have been working to be more efficient and absorb rising costs where possible.
“However, to maintain the same high quality and delicious taste that consumers know and love, it has sometimes been necessary to adjust the weight of some of our products.”
How can I save on my supermarket shopping?
There are plenty of ways to save money at your grocery store.
You can look for yellow or red stickers on products, which indicate when they are discounted.
If the food is fresh, eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money because you’ll be less likely to make hasty purchases when you go to the grocery store.
Choosing your own brand can be an easy way to save hundreds of dollars a year on your food bill, too.
This means ditching the ‘best’ or ‘luxury’ products and instead opting for ‘own’ or value-for-money lines.
Many supermarkets have shaky fruit and vegetable programs where you can get cheap prices if they are misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering 5kg boxes of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you’re on a low income and a parent, you could potentially get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers, which you can also use at the supermarket.
In addition, many municipalities offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.