More than chocolate: what retailers should know about Easter 2024
For UK consumers, Easter is a big deal. 84% of shoppers were planning on celebrating it in 2023 (1). But if you’re not a confectionary retailer, you might think a boost from the season is out of your grasp. Think again!
In 2023 it was estimated Brits would spend a whopping ￡960 million during the Easter period. And yes, an estimated ￡457.6 million of that was Easter eggs (2). But that still leaves a whole lot of other revenue ripe for the picking.
Yes, food is the favourite
There’s no getting away from the popularity of Easter eggs themselves. Between 80-90 million chocolate eggs are sold each year in the UK… which equates to 10% of our annual spending on chocolate (3)! And giant eggs are the fastest-growing category, seeing 59% growth year-on-year (1).
But home baking was worth ￡15m over Easter 20233: potential revenue too big to ignore. This inexpensive at-home activity is perfect for occupying children during the holidays, so its popularity (and associated spend) could well increase in 2024. The items that drove the most growth within the sector included baking cases and sprinkles. So if you stock baking accessories, now is a great time to promote them.
Experiences, not things
As the home baking would suggest, analysis of UK consumers indicates a trend of celebrating at home amid cost of living concerns. But there’s also a shift towards spending more on leisure than on retail (4). Though not every business can sell experiences, retailers could capitalise on this by offering experience-based rewards – like tickets for family days out in the Easter holidays – through a loyalty scheme to incentivise spend.
A ‘made to last’ mentality
Many consumers are increasingly focused on sustainable items and décor that can be reused and repurposed on multiple occasions. Retailers should look at stocking or creating decorations, party essentials and gifts that will last far beyond the Easter season. Promote décor that has a green angle, such as being locally sourced and manufactured or crafted from recycled materials.
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Do-it-yourself at Easter
The brighter weather and first extra-long weekend of the year means many Brits choose to kickstart their DIY projects at Easter. Research from American Express estimated that the average UK adult would spend ￡1,380 on DIY in 2023… or an impressive ￡38.7 billion as a nation (5). So it’s definitely worth retailers considering a do-it-yourself promotion. As for which DIY equipment to prioritise, outdoor space was at the top of 2023’s to-do list, with 42% of respondents planning to improve their garden. Bedrooms followed at 38%, with living rooms and kitchens at 34% (5). Swap those eggs for eggshell paint!
For some non-confectionary retailers, it turns out Easter is a rich untapped market… just waiting to be cracked.
All of us at DHL eCommerce UK wish you a great Easter! Follow us on LinkedIn for more delicious consumer insights.
Senior performance marketeer (T-shaped Paid Social), that got tired of fixing attribution problems manually - so he initiated an AI solution.
8 个月Who needs eggs when you've got loyalty schemes and spring cleaning? Love the fresh perspective! What other non-traditional approaches do you think could boost Easter sales?