Research has exposed that the UK’s Easter egg brands are reducing the size of Easter eggs while increasing the price, the ultimate kick in the teeth this Spring.
Rising Easter Egg Prices
A recent study by Which? revealed a substantial price increase for Easter eggs compared to the previous year.According to the survey, as claimed by Which?’s Ele Clark, “paying for your chocolate haul will be more of a stretch this year,” in what she described as a “non-negotiable” purchase during Easter.
Clarke revealed that many Easter eggs from the UK’s most popular brands have become “over 50% pricier than in 2023,” but that’s not the only discovery. According to Clarke, companies are inflating the prices of Easter eggs while shrinking them in size at the same time “others have shrunk in size but not price” she said.
Shrinkflation Explained
Shrinkflation is the phenomenon that takes place when manufacturing costs rise, resulting in companies shrinking the size of produce without altering the price accordingly.
Which? Also found other companies are experimenting with something called “Skimpflation” where products contain less real food in their ingredients, for example, sausages containing 90% pork instead of 95%.
This Easter, families will find a surge in the prices of Easter eggs due to the rise in global cocoa prices in West Africa, leading to a 12.6% increase in chocolate prices.
Companies Trying to Counter Inflation
A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley UK, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of popular Easter egg brands, claims that companies are doing all they can to counter the rise in cocoa costs.
“We have been actively trying to find ways to absorb the rising costs of raw materials and operations,” the spokesperson said, despite a noticeable rise in Easter egg inflation.
Mars Wrigley UK admitted to shrinking products and rising prices, “Reducing the size of some of our products, whilst raising prices, is not a decision we have taken lightly,” they said.
UK Practices Shrinkflation
According to the study, many popular Easter egg brands have shrunk in size, including those manufactured by Mars Wrigley UK. For example, a Mars milk chocolate egg found in Tesco and Asda has reduced in size for 2024, coming in at a mere 201g compared to the must larger 252g egg released last year.
Which? Also found that Smarties, Terry’s Chocolate Orange and Malteser Easter eggs all were reduced in size without any alteration to the cost. At Waitrose, the 286g Maltesers Truffles Luxury Easter Egg surged from £8 to £13, marking a staggering 62.5% increase in price. Asda saw the price of a 50g Lindt Gold Bunny Milk Chocolate five-pack rise from £2 to £3.11, a 55.6% increase.
Tesco witnessed a 50% increase in the price of a 250g Ferrero Rocher Golden Easter Egg, rising from £10 to £15. Ocado experienced a 46.2% price hike for a 1kg Cadbury Mini Eggs Large Pouch, increasing from £8.86 to £12.95.
How To Counter Shrinkflation
According to the survey, families should shop around this year to counter shrinkflation and price hikes, finding the best deals in different stores. According to Clarke, buyers should shop around “To ensure you get the best value for money on your Easter chocolate,” adding they should compare the price per gram across different pack sizes, retailers and brands.”
As economic issues continue to sink their teeth into the UK’s favourite holidays, members of the public must do all they can to avoid being ripped off this Easter.
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The post Easter Egg Swindle: UK Paying More for Less, According to Study first appeared on Edge Media.
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Oscar Davies, an expert in US and UK politics and sports, is renowned for his sharp and engaging writing style, appealing to a broad spectrum of readers.