How many Easter eggs did you get this year? One? Five? Seventeen from an overly generous aunt with a chocolate addiction? As the foil wrappers settle and the nation’s blood sugar levels return to normal, it’s worth pondering not just how many Easter eggs we got—but how many are produced, sold, and ultimately left behind in a post-bunny hangover.
Each year, the UK sees the sale of approximately 80 to 90 million chocolate Easter eggs. With around 46 million people celebrating Easter in 2025, this averages to about two eggs per person, though the average child reportedly receives just under nine. And with Easter egg sales contributing to around 10% of Britain’s annual chocolate spending, we’re not talking peanuts (or even praline).
Cocoa: Worth Its Weight in Gold (Almost)
Once a humble bean, cocoa is now causing accountants and confectioners alike to furrow their brows in unison. As of early 2025, the cost of cocoa has jumped by as much as 245% year-on-year. The main culprits? Climate change, diseased crops, supply chain chaos, and a good old-fashioned mismatch of supply and demand. The UK, like the rest of the world, is heavily reliant on Ghana and Ivory Coast for its cocoa fix—countries that now find themselves at the mercy of El Nino, La Nina, and every meteorological nuisance in between.
Manufacturers are passing on these costs in the most discreet way possible—by giving you less chocolate for more money. A £13 Easter egg that once weighed 286g might now be a svelte 250g. You’ll still get the box, the foil, and the cardboard window (perhaps bigger than ever), but inside? Let’s just say your accountant might suggest measuring your chocolate by cost per gram this year.
Why Cocoa Prices Fluctuate More Than a Toddler on a Trampoline
Cocoa prices shift more frequently than a teenager’s mood—daily, sometimes hourly. Traders on the commodities market react to weather forecasts, political unrest, port delays, currency changes, and their own caffeine intake. This makes budgeting a complex game of financial hopscotch for manufacturers.
Cue the accountant: part financial therapist, part crystal-ball gazer. Accountants advise on everything from forward-buying stock to hedging against price surges. In other words, they help keep your favourite chocolate bars in the black (figuratively and literally).
When Easter Eggs Don’t Hatch: The Fate of Unsold Easter Stock
And then there’s the annual anti-climax: unsold Easter eggs. Rows of them, forlorn on supermarket shelves by mid-April, slapped with a 50% off sticker and a faint whiff of defeat. For businesses, this isn’t just a sad sight—it’s a margin massacre.
Retailers must decide whether to:
- Discount quickly and cut their losses
- Hold stock and risk it becoming an awkward summer promotion
- Write it off entirely and feed the office until July
Each scenario has financial implications, and once again, it’s the accountant who must assess inventory write-downs, track depreciation, and offer insights on consumer behaviour for next year’s forecasts. Some might call this bean counting. They’d be right. But these beans matter.
A Nation’s Sweet Tooth: The Easter Market in £££s
Easter is a heavyweight in the confectionery calendar. In 2025, consumers are expected to spend around £1.5 billion on Easter-related items, with a chunky slice of that going to chocolate. And while we’re tucking into treats, businesses are crunching the numbers behind the scenes, with accountants analysing seasonal profits, preparing financial reports, and ensuring compliance amid the sugary chaos.
Where Does This Leave the Humble Consumer?
Caught between rising costs and shrinking eggs, consumers are increasingly turning to plant-based alternatives. Sales of dairy-free Easter eggs reportedly rose by 193% this year at Waitrose. Perhaps it’s a nod to sustainability. Perhaps it’s because vegan eggs still look sizeable. Or perhaps it’s simply because they’ve yet to be targeted by shrinkflation (shhh).
For businesses diversifying their product lines, accountants again come into play—analysing product profitability, managing SKU proliferation, and advising on pricing strategy. The Easter Bunny may bring joy, but it’s the accountant who makes sure the joy remains financially viable.
Final Thoughts: It’s Not Just Chocolate That’s Getting Squeezed
The Easter egg saga of 2025 is a bittersweet reminder that global economics affects even the tiniest treats. For every pound of chocolate sold (or unsold), there’s a spreadsheet explaining why. Behind every price hike, a cost breakdown. Behind every shrinkflated shell, a margin calculation and likely a sigh from someone in finance.
And with around 9,600 tonnes of cardboard, 4,000 tonnes of plastic, and 8,500 tonnes of food waste generated from our collective Easter indulgence, even sustainability has its ledger—and accountants are increasingly key to helping businesses navigate it responsibly.
So next time you peel back the foil on your overpriced, underweight Easter egg, spare a thought for the accountants. While the rest of us are working out how to get into the thing without a chisel, they’ve already worked out if the company can afford to make another one next year.
Click here for the history of the Easter egg And ever wondered about the history of the Easter egg hunt, find out here.
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