I crunched the numbers on 2026 Easter chocolate prices and the 'hidden' costs are worse than they look

The price of Easter chocolates this year is insane, and I'm not the only one who thinks so.

Social media is filled with Aussie shoppers calling out crazy price tags, and you just have to look at the numbers to confirm the fact that chocolate prices have soared over recent years – and Easter chocolate? Even worse.

It's a genuine shame, because during a recent trip to my local supermarket I saw several new Easter chocolates I'd love to try but I simply can't afford to.

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I also crunched the numbers, and when you compare a standard block of chocolate to its Easter egg equivalent, the markup is astronomical – you're essentially paying a massive premium just for the shape.

The silver lining is that the post-Easter sales are almost as traditional as the holiday itself. We all know the drill – wait a week or two, and those "half-price" yellow stickers will start appearing on the big-name brands.

I've decided to play the long game this year. Instead of paying full price now, I'm keeping my wishlist ready for when the supermarkets inevitably slash prices to clear the shelves.

But that hasn't stopped me from window shopping; here are the six decadent treats I'm desperately eyeing off while I wait for that clearance sticker.

1. Cadbury Dream Hollow Easter Eggs

Cadbury has released Dream Hollow Easter Eggs this year, something white chocolate lovers like myself have been hoping for, for years.

I spotted these at my local supermarket in packs of 10, but they cost $11.60 per box and there is no way on earth I am paying that for a packet of hollow eggs.

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For $11.60 I could buy dinner ingredients for a delicious meal for my family, stock up on frozen veggies or buy enough bread to last us two weeks.

I just can't justify the expense, no matter how I weigh it up.

And speaking of weight, one packet of Cadbury Dream Hollow Easter Eggs totals 170g, which works out to be $6.82 per 100g.

If I were to buy a block of Cadbury Dream chocolate instead, I'd be paying only $2.78 per 100g at Coles this week, or $4.44 per 100g at Woolies.

Maybe I can melt my own into an egg shape and save a few bucks in the process.

2. Cadbury Dairy Milk Tropical Pineapple Easter Eggs

As a child I always loved a block of Cadbury Snack, mostly because of the pineapple and strawberry pieces.

So you can imagine my delight when Cadbury released blocks of pineapple chocolate.

I buy it when it is on special and keep it in the freezer so the centre is lovely and chewy.

When I spotted packets of Cadbury Dairy Milk Tropical Pineapple Easter Eggs at my local. I actually shrieked! I had seen strawberry ones previously, but not pineapple.

But, they cost $7.50 for a little bag which holds approximately nine eggs. That's 80 cents per egg, or $6.36 per 100g.

And a little bag like that wouldn't make it out of the car park if I were to buy them.

I can buy a packet of beef mince for $7.50. With grocery prices as high as they are these days, I just can't justify the expense.

And for comparison, a block of this chocolate works out to be $2.78 per 100g this week at Coles and $4.44 per 100g at Woolies.

3. Darrell Lea Original 100s & 1000s Hand Rolled Egg

My son's absolute favourite Easter egg of all time is the Darrell Lea Original 100s & 1000s Easter egg, but it isn't what it used to be.

I was shocked when I spotted it at my local supermarket. It has noticeably shrunk. It used to be 160g, and is now just 135g.

My son used to eat it slowly over a week but at the size it is now it would be lucky to last a couple of days.

And the price! $13!

I mean, I love my son, but even if I did buy it for him I'd pretty sure he'd say something like, 'Why did you only get me a small one?'

And then I'd have to explain 'shrinkflation' to him and then tell him that his Easter egg cost the most out of all of them and to quit complaining.

At which point the magic of Easter will be ruined, so why even go there?

4. Cadbury Dairy Milk Clinker Bunnies

Clinkers are my favourite, so I am absolutely gutted I'm going to have this delicious looking Easter product a miss this year. Once again, I just can't justify the expense.

A bag of Cadbury Dairy Milk Clinker Bunnies costs $10 for a 180g pack which contains only six bunnies.

That also works out to be $5.56 per 100g, compared to just buying a bag of Cadbury Clinkers for $7 and paying $4.38 per 100g.

Or I could save even more by going with a Clinkers chocolate block, which costs $5 this week at Coles and works out to be $2.94 per 100g.

5. Darrell Lea Milk Chocolate Raspberry Flavoured Easter Eggs

Okay, this one hit hard because one of my absolute favourite treats in the world is Darrell Lea raspberry licorice in any form.

But once again, this Easter product costs $7.50 for a teeny tiny bag of round nine Easter eggs, which I'd probably eat in one hit while I unpacked my groceries at home.

And that, by the way, works out to be $6.82 per 100g, compared to $2.19 per 100g if I were to buy this in block form.

6. Pistachio Papi Filled Easter Truffles

I've gotten into the habit of adding a mental 'pistachio tax' of $10 to the price of anything that includes the coveted nut these days, and Pistachio Papi's Filled Easter Truffles were no exception.

A five-pack of these costs $15.

There's just no way I'd buy these, regardless of how delicious I know they would be.

I'd rather buy a budget jar of pistachio paste and a block of Coles milk chocolate and dip each piece into the jar.

It would be the exact flavour combination at a fraction of the price.

Although if anyone is trying to think of what to get me as an Easter gift this year, please feel free to buy me this one above all others.

How to save on Easter chocolate this year

Now that we've all had a collective cry over the cost of chocolate, let's talk solutions.

If you've got little ones counting down the days until the Easter Bunny arrives, don't panic. There are still plenty of ways to fill those baskets without breaking the bank, and I've found the best budget-friendly hacks to keep the magic alive for less.

1. Shop the sales

Try and avoid shopping for Easter chocolates until as close to Easter as possible. This does mean you may not get the exact Easter chocolates you or your kids would like, but it is the best way to save.

Retailers will be looking to clear as much Easter stock as possible and you can usually do better than half price during this time.

2. Visit alternate retailers

Outlets like Kmart, Big W, and The Reject Shop, sell Easter chocolates and at these retailers they are usually lower in price than at supermarket – especially at The Reject Shop.

Once again, you may not get the exact Easter chocolates you are after, but the savings will make it worth it.

Also, at these retailers you can buy some fun and affordable Easter arts and crafts to keep children happy and busy and excited for Easter, whilst distracting them from the fact there is a little less chocolate in their baskets than there was last year.

3. Make your own

A few people have mentioned buying chocolate moulds and making some of their own Easter treats this year, which is a bit old school but is easily done.

You can buy chocolate moulds from Kmart, Temu, Amazon, even from supermarkets.

And don't forget all the other Easter treats you can make, like cookies and cupcakes which can help supplement some of that missing Easter chocolate.

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