Focus On Easter and Spring: 21 January

By Rob Brown rob_j_a_brown@hotmail.com 

Publishing: 21 January 2023
Advertising deadline: 9 January 2023
Submissions deadline: 31 December 2022

The Easter bunny is being put on a diet. Following the introduction of the first HFSS rules in October 2022, next year will see the first Easter season where unhealthy food & drink is banned from the most prominent locations in-stores and online. So with the star attraction, namely chocolate, being highly exposed to the restrictions, how are retailers going to promote confectionery? How will brands be innovating to inject excitement into Easter? And can own label lines come out of their shell for price-conscious shoppers?

Chocolate: Traditional Easter chocolate saw respectable growth in 2022, according to Kantar. How can retailers and brands consolidate on this?

Plant-based and free from: Vegan-friendly chocolate moved to the centre of retailers’ Easter strategies in 2022, having previously been confined to the sidelines. Did sales justify the move? And what will the approach be this year?

Trading down: As the cost of living crisis continues, how will retailers be changing their ranges to accommodate different shoppers’ budgets?

Promotions: In previous years brands have offered prizes for shoppers who find special eggs inside popular products. How are brands planning on using these kinds of promotions this year?

White chocolate: In its first innovation for the Creme Egg brand, Cadbury has launched a white chocolate variation of the classic Easter confectionery. Will it help retailers create a growth spike for white chocolate?

Roasts: Other than Christmas, Easter is the most important time of the year for roast dinners. But with input costs sending the price of meat soaring, how can retailers encourage shoppers to indulge this year?

Online: Online sales have receded since the pandemic, with seasonal celebrations showing notable slumps. How are online channels hoping to capture sales this Easter?

Innovation: We will profile 4 new products or ranges that have ideally not appeared in The Grocer before. We need launch date, rsp, and a hi-res picture of each