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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Cute Chocolate Characters Drive Easter Purchases
Retailers are leaning 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: M&S 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 . Playful designs capture attention from the shelf-edge and incentivise impulse purchases . These novelty products strengthen 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
M&S Easter 2026 Collection with Lir Chocolates
Marks & Spencer teamed up with Irish chocolate partner Lir Chocolates to bring a craft-led Easter 2026 collection to shelves across Ireland and the UK . Collection Highlights: Outrageously Chocolatey Custard Cream Biscuity Egg: A bespoke mould mirrors every detail of the Custard Cream biscuit, encasing a crunchy biscuit shell with custard-flavoured truffle layer . Collection luxury filled shell eggs: Crafted by expert chocolatiers using 40% Belgian milk chocolate with Fairtrade cocoa . New products: Collection Pistachio Rolled Eggs, Extra Thick Pistachio and Milk Chocolate Egg, and Extra Thick Dark Chocolate and Blond Egg . Behind the doors of Lir Chocolates’ Meath facility, a team of up to 250 specialists has been working over 18 months to transform M&S’s seasonal visions into popular Easter favourites .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
Easter 2026: From Single Egg to Layered Basket
Easter shopping in 2026 is shifting from a single "big egg" occasion to a layered, multi-item basket, according to data from European delivery platform Foodora . Shopping Trends: Smaller formats rising: 0g-50g category now accounts for 34.5% of chocolate sold, up from 24.6% in 2022 . Flavour preferences broadening: Milk chocolate share slipped to 88% in 2025 as white chocolate rose to 6.9% and dark chocolate to 5.1% . Last-minute shopping: Spending and promotions peak in the final days before the holiday . Premiumisation: UK supermarket Ocado reported searches for dark chocolate Easter eggs rising 247% year-on-year, alongside triple-digit growth in alcohol-infused products such as the Guinness Rugby Ball Easter Egg (up 355%) .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-25
UK Easter Retail Sales Forecast to Reach £1.6 Billion
Total UK retail sales for Easter 2026 are forecast to reach £1.6 billion – a 14% year-on-year increase – suggesting that despite economic volatility, consumer appetite for seasonal celebration remains resilient . Key Spending Shift: 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 “Great Chocolate Pivot”: Cocoa inflation: 17% rise in chocolate prices . Shrinkflation scepticism and ethical consumption priorities .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-24
RetailMeNot: Valentine's Day Self-Gifting Reaches 33%
One in three Valentine's Day shoppers (33%) is treating themselves as a legitimate recipient, reflecting broader cultural changes around self-care . Self-Gifting Purchase Patterns:One in three Valentine's Day shoppers (33%) is treating themselves as a legitimate recipient, reflecting broader cultural changes around self-care . Self-Gifting Purchase Patterns: Gift cards: 33% Clothing and accessories: 31% Experiences: 30% Interpretation: The shift tracks with broader cultural changes around self-care and the idea that you don't need to wait for someone else to buy you flowers or chocolate. It also explains why Valentine's Day spending per person appears lower—when buying for partner, kids, best friend, and yourself, you're probably not dropping $165 on any single person . https://images.pexels.com/photos/672897/pexels-photo-672897.jpeg Industry Summary The international Valentine's Day gifts market in 2026 is characterized by: Record Spending: US spending projected at $29.1 bill
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-24
RetailMeNot: The Most Popular Valentine's Day Gifts in 2026
According to RetailMeNot's survey, the most popular Valentine's Day gifts haven't changed much despite tighter budgets . Most Popular Gifts: Gift Type Percentage Chocolate and candies 59% Restaurant or bar visits 36% Gift cards 33% Clothing and accessories 31% Experiences/activities 30% Plushies 21% Decorations/home décor 20% Travel 19% Key Insight: These categories share key traits: familiar, predictable, and work across different budgets. That flexibility matters when stretching a Valentine's Day budget across multiple recipients .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-24
Reasons to Celebrate: Partner and Fun with Friends/Family
The top reasons for celebrating Valentine's Day in 2026 are relationship-oriented, with 50.0% citing a significant other or partner, followed by viewing the holiday as a fun activity with friends or family (41.7%) . Reasons to Celebrate: Important to significant other/partner: 50.0% Fun thing to do with friends/family: 41.7% One of favorite holidays: 23.7% Expected of me: 10.5% Context: The holiday has become a popular seasonal event and part of American culture, with celebrations extending beyond romantic partnerships .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-24
Timing: Most Planning Begins in February
According to the Medill Spiegel Research Center, about three out of five (60.7%) Valentine's Day celebrators begin planning in February, with 41.8% planning during the week leading up to Valentine's Day . Planning Timeline: Planning Start Percentage December or earlier 4.8% January 29.0% First week of February/week before 41.8% Week of Valentine's Day 18.9% On Valentine's Day 5.5% Participation Trend: Valentine's Day participation has declined by an average of 0.29% annually over the past 15 years, with 54.6% of U.S. adults planning to celebrate in 2026 .
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-24
Gen Z and Millennials Drive Valentine's Day Spending Momentum
According to Bread Financial's quicktake survey, Gen Z and millennials are expected to drive Valentine's Day spending momentum in 2026 . Key Insights: Younger generations are significantly more likely to indicate that compelling credit card offers could entice them to spend more Gen Z and millennials plan to shop a wide variety of category specialists Superstores are the top Valentine's Day retail destination across generations Strategic Implication: Retailers that connect with Gen Z and millennials through targeted offers and varied shopping options can build long-lasting customer relationships
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Source:Holiday Party / Time:2026-08-24
McDonald's and Aesop Embrace Whimsy for Valentine's 2026
Brands are leaning into whimsical, playful activations for Valentine's Day 2026, moving beyond traditional romantic marketing . Retail Activations: Aesop: Offered exclusive in-store experiences for shoppers from February 6-8 McDonald's: Participated in Valentine's Day-themed promotions Melissa Minkow, global director of retail strategy at CI&T, told Inside Retail: "It's very smart of brands to move this way, considering the singles population continues to grow, and because 65% of consumers told us they expect prices to go up in the next few years. It's a lot easier to justify self-spend than it is gifting!"
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