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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Retailers Open and Closed on Easter Sunday 2026
Easter Sunday 2026 fell on April 5, with retailers taking different approaches to holiday hours . Closed on Easter Sunday: Target, Lowe's, Macy's, Kohl's, Nordstrom (most locations), Belk, TJ Maxx, Marshall's, HomeGoods . Open on Easter Sunday: Walmart (regular hours), Home Depot (8am-6pm), Bass Pro Shops/Cabela's (10am-7pm), REI (noon-6pm), IKEA (regular times) . Varies by Location: Ace Hardware (independently owned), Sephora, Barnes & Noble, Victoria's Secret (subject to mall hours) . Customers are encouraged to contact local stores to confirm specific holiday hours .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
The Sunday Roast Drives Easter Sales
61% of shoppers intend to celebrate Easter this year, with a renewed focus on the Easter roast dinner . Retail Opportunities: Massive opportunity for the wine and spirits category – secondary placements in the meat aisle becoming standard strategy . General merchandise following suit: hosting accessories, serving plates, themed crackers, and glassware . Retailers signal a shift towards a more premium, at-home occasion . This "two-step journey" in stores – from food products to hosting accessories – encourages shoppers to build larger baskets .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Shopper Confidence Hit Record Low Before Easter
Shopper confidence dropped to -4 in March 2026, the lowest level since August 2023, impacted by the conflict in the Middle East . Key Figures: The share of shoppers expecting food prices to rise in the next 12 months rose to 80% . 37% of shoppers expect to be worse off in the year ahead (up from 25% in February) . 57% noticed a big increase in Easter egg prices compared to last year . 40% claimed they will eat and buy fewer eggs . Shopper Response: One in four will buy fewer but more premium Easter treats (quality over quantity) . For those on GLP‑1s, 1 in 5 plan to reduce or stop taking it over Easter to fully participate .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Cheval Blanc Paris Unveils "La Belle Envolée" Easter Creation
To celebrate Easter 2026, Maxime Frédéric, Pastry Chef of Cheval Blanc Paris, unveiled an all-chocolate airship inspired by the bold journeys of the Edwardian era . The Creation: The balloon: Entirely fashioned from chocolate like a giant Easter egg, revealing an almond and roasted vanilla praline core . The basket: Inspired by the woven wicker of early balloons, containing Tahitian vanilla caramel and almond-roasted vanilla praline biscuit . The detail: A delicate mechanism suggests the movement of propellers, bringing the chocolate masterpiece to life . Product Details: Weight: 850g of chocolate Price: €138, limited quantities Pick-up: April 2-5, 2026, at Cheval Blanc Paris "La Belle Envolée by Cheval Blanc Paris is an ode to the dream of travel, blending imagination with indulgence, and sketching the aerial horizons of tomorrow" .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Dark Chocolate and Alcohol-Infused Products on the Rise
Flavour preferences are broadening, with growing demand for dark chocolate and alcohol-infused products . Flavour Trends: Milk chocolate share slipped to 88% in 2025 as white chocolate rose to 6.9% and dark chocolate to 5.1% . UK online supermarket Ocado reported searches for dark chocolate Easter eggs rising 247% year-on-year . Triple-digit growth in alcohol-infused products, including the Guinness Rugby Ball Easter Egg (up 355%) . Innovation Examples: Hames Chocolates expanded its Easter range with formats designed to offer a mix of impulse lines and giftable options . Savoury twists on seasonal classics, including artisanal hot cross buns with Earl Grey-soaked fruit, candied peel, and citrus .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Smaller Formats Overtake Traditional Easter Eggs
Data from European delivery platform Foodora shows a clear shift toward smaller, snackable formats overtaking traditional large Easter eggs . Format Trends: The 0g-50g category now accounts for 34.5% of chocolate sold, up from 24.6% in 2022 . Larger formats have lost share as shoppers assemble a mix of treats rather than relying on a single hero product . Smaller formats offer a more accessible entry point for shoppers navigating inflation . Implications: Creates more opportunities for incremental purchases, particularly in the final days before Easter . Brands are leaning into smaller, shareable, and snackable formats . Heritage formats are being repackaged to stay relevant, blending familiarity with novelty
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Easter 2026: The "Great Chocolate Pivot"
Once defined by mass-produced chocolate eggs, Easter 2026 has evolved into a multi-category retail event driven by quality over quantity, ethical consumption, and the expansion of the "Easter Roast" . The End of the "Impulse Egg": Chocolate now accounts for only 30% of total Easter spending, down from 40% just two years ago . Nearly half of all chocolate orders now sit in the £5 to £8 price bracket . Ethical products now represent 75% of Easter chocolate sales on wholesale platform Faire . Drivers of the Shift: Cocoa inflation: 17% rise in chocolate prices . Shrinkflation scepticism: Many shoppers noted reductions in cocoa content and product size in cheaper ranges . The ethical premium: Consumers prioritise sustainability and fair sourcing over low prices
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Cute Chocolate Characters Drive Impulse Purchases
Retailers have leaned heavily into the child-centred nature of Easter by expanding ranges to include cute, character-led chocolate NPD, typically taking the shape of spring animals such as bunnies and lambs . M&S Character NPD Success: The retailer launched four new chocolate characters alongside one previously available . Examples include "Sunny" the sloth and "Ralph" the cavapoo – the second most popular hybrid dog breed in the UK . These playful designs capture children's and adults' attention from the shelf-edge and incentivise impulse purchases . This novelty strengthens shoppers' emotional engagement not only with the product but with the retailer, driving increased spend during the occasion .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Retailers Reimagine Easter as Multi-Category Event Beyond Chocolate
Easter 2026 has seen a significant shift, with retailers moving beyond traditional chocolate eggs to create a more interesting occasion through bold food and non-food items themed for the holiday . The number of UK retailers buying non-chocolate alternatives has skyrocketed by 138% . Key Category Expansions: "Christmas-ification" of Easter: Products once exclusive to December, such as Easter crackers and "Easter trees," are helping to drive up margins and basket sizes . Toys and Activities: Seasonal aisles are being reimagined for family engagement, with some retailers dedicating entire aisles to interactive toys . Roast Dinner Hosting: General merchandise now includes serving plates, napkins, themed crackers, and glassware to support the Easter roast . This "two-step journey" in stores encourages shoppers to build larger baskets, from food products to hosting accessories .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Small Formats Overtake Traditional Easter Eggs
Data from Foodora shows a clear shift toward smaller, snackable formats overtaking traditional large Easter eggs . Format Trends: 0g-50g category now accounts for 34.5% of chocolate sold, up from 24.6% in 2022 . Larger formats have lost share . Consumers are assembling a mix of treats rather than relying on a single hero product . Price Sensitivity: Smaller formats offer a more accessible entry point for shoppers navigating inflation . Creates more opportunities for incremental purchases in the final days before Easter .
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