Easter egg costs soar by up to 50%, Which? says

Easter egg prices have risen by as much as 50% compared to last year, while some have shrunk in size, according to an investigation by Which?.

The price of chocolate has risen by 16.5% in a year, outpacing an overall 4.4% increase in the cost of supermarket food and drink, the consumer group says.

Meanwhile, several treats have been affected by "shrinkflation" - when products get smaller but the price does not.

An 80g pouch of Terry's chocolate orange mini eggs cost 99p in Lidl in 2024, Which? said, but was now 70g and cost £1.35 - a net rise of 56%.

A steep fall in global cocoa production driven by unusually warm weather has driven wholesale costs to record highs.

Confectionary companies insist they are trying to maintain both quality and value with the changes.

The Which? investigation found that at Tesco, a Twix white chocolate Easter egg had increased from £5 to £6 year-on-year, while also shrinking from 316g to 258g. In terms of price per 100g, that is a rise of 47%.

It also found a five-pack of mixed 200g Cadbury Creme Eggs sold at Morrisons had increased from £2.62 last year to £4 this year.

Meanwhile, a Nestle Kit Kat Chunky milk chocolate Easter egg stayed at the same price at the supermarket, but was reduced from 129g to 110g - making it 17% more expensive per 100g.

And it was not just Easter chocolate that has seen sharp price rises since last year.

Sainsbury's own-brand Stamford Street Co Milk Chocolate (100g) rose from an average price of 50p to an average of £1.03 - up 108% year-on-year - while Asda's Fruit & Nut Milk Chocolate (200g) went from £1.33 to £2.30 - an increase of 73%.

At Ocado, a 110g bag of Nomo Creamy Choc Buttons rose from £2.43 to £3.97, a 63% increase. The online supermarket said it was doing everything it could to "keep prices low for our customers".

The global price of cocoa has risen sharply since 2022, reaching a record high in January this year.

Crops in West Africa - one of the world's main cocoa producing areas - have been particularly affected by unusually dry weather in recent years.

Multiple manufacturers said they had tried to absorb price rises where possible, but that changes to size were inevitable to maintain quality.

Nestle, which produces Kit Kat chocolate, said it was sometimes "necessary" to make such adjustments, but cautioned that "retail pricing is always at the sole discretion of individual retailers".

A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley, which makes Twix chocolate, said the company wanted to ensure its snacks continued to "deliver great quality and affordable value for families this Easter".

Despite increasing prices and shrinkflation, Which? money and retail editor Reena Sewraz suggested it was still possible to get good value Easter eggs.

She said consumers could do so by "looking for special offers, comparing the price per gram or if you can, hold out until Easter Sunday when many of the eggs are likely to be reduced."