UK consumers are spending less on chocolate eggs and more on leisure activities at Easter, according to research from analytics company GlobalData.
In 2017, 40.8% of Easter spend was on non-retail products, such as activities, with only 53.4% of shoppers purchasing chocolate eggs and other Easter treats, compared to 57.5% in the previous year.
"Easter gifting, such as cards or presents, is not commonplace in comparison to other seasonal events such as Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, meaning that the proportion of Easter spend dedicated to retail is lower," said Eleanor Parr, retail analyst at GlobalData.
"Given the Easter event includes two bank holidays along with the annual Easter break for school children, consumers have more time and the inclination to pursue leisure activities."
She added that retailers must take "every opportunity to win spend" over the upcoming Easter period, by promoting seasonal meal deals, for example.
Eggs-tra Spending
GlobalData notes that many consumers are avoiding purchasing costly Easter eggs this year, in an attempt to cut down on discretionary spending.
"All age groups and almost all socio demographic profiles reduced their Easter egg and novelties spend in Easter 2017 and we forecast that this trend is set to continue as less shoppers participate in the market and those that do increasingly look for lower priced bargains at discounters," said Parr.
Additionally, demand is growing for entirely chocolate-free Easter eggs, such as the 'Cheester' egg that is currently being sold in Asda.
"The current trend towards health & wellness has also led to some consumers shunning Easter eggs completely and buying into non-food related Easter products, such as beauty eggs," added Parr.
"Over the next five years we expect to see a much greater diversity in the products purchased for Easter as retailers attempt to drive spend around the occasion."
© 2018 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Sarah Harford. Click subscribe to sign up to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine.
