With Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter all falling in quick succession, retailers need to get organised and play to their strengths this spring.
December not only signifies the start of the countdown to Christmas, but for a growing number of retailers, it marks the start of Creme Egg season.
A massive 3.7 packs of Creme Egg were sold every second last Easter [Nielsen ScanTrack, Total Coverage incl. Discounters, W/C 02.12.23 – W/E 30.03.24] and 1st Stop 2 Shop in Dundee had them on shelves from 12 December. “We usually get them in around that time,” says acting manager Safina Abdullah. “People buy them for Christmas – some people buy a box load of 24!”
But Creme Egg is by no means the only self treat vying for customers’ attention this Easter. New from Mars Wrigley is the Maltesers Popcorn Bunny and the M&M’s Crispy Bunny, comprising a creamy, crunchy M&M’s Minis filling, which is set to appeal to a younger audience.
The firm is also aiming to capture some of the small sharing market with M&M’S Choco Mini Eggs, which are filled with M&M’s Minis and Galaxy Minstrels Mini Eggs. Small sharing is the fastest-growing partition with growth of 28% [Nielsen: 13 w/e 30th March 2024 vs. 14 w/e 6th April 2023] and accounts for 24% of the Easter category [ibid], notes Senior Brand Manager, Easter, Florence McGivern.
Cadbury Mini Eggs shine in small sharing, with the firm selling 11 million more units last Easter. “The mini beasts of the Easter market remain the number one Easter SKU [5 Nielsen ScanTrack, Total Coverage incl. Discounters, W/C 02.12.23 – W/E 30.03.24] with the highest penetration of any Easter brand in the UK [Nielsen Insights, Total Market excluding Discounters, 19 weeks to 08.04.2023, Kantar Easter 23],” says Susan Nash, Trade Communications Manager at Mondelez International. She advises retailers to be ready on day one of the season with sufficient stock of seasonal self-eat and sharing favourites.
In addition to making a fast start on Creme Eggs, 1st Stop 2 Shop is well known in the local area for its keenly priced seasonal gifts. “We do a lot for any kind of occasion, like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Easter,” says Safina. “We usually have an island at the front of the store with wrapping paper, cards, bows, keyrings, candles, toys and mugs. Our stuff is different and a lot cheaper than the supermarkets.”
Hancocks adds that confectionery gifts are seen as more affordable gifting options, attracting customers who are trying to save money. “It’s essential to keep core £1-2 and £3-4 price points to appeal to shoppers and make sure you’re fully stocked for the whole Easter season as most of the spending comes towards the end of the season, with 46.5% of sales coming in the week up to Easter itself,” says Head of Marketing Kathryn Hague.
Seasonal launches include Candy Realms Spring Jelly Pops, Spring Mallow Skewers, Spring Mallow Pops and a Chick Mix Candy Cup featuring fruity flavoured sour sticks, sour peach rings, duckling marshmallows and gummy fried eggs.
Mars Wrigley’s McGivern believes retailers can look forward to a strong season. “As consumer confidence continues to grow, Easter 2025 is expected to be a blockbuster year,” she concludes.
