'Just not worth it right now': The 'luxury' item disappearing from Aussie Easter baskets this year
Easter is going to look a little different this year according to new data which shows 71 per cent of Aussie shoppers plan to give major chocolate brands a miss in an effort to save.
Compare the Market surveyed more than 1000 consumers about their Easter plans, and surveyed popular Easter products to gauge just how much they have increased by.
One popular product, the Kinder Surprise Milk Chocolate Blue Easter Bunny 75g, has gone up in price by 28.57 per cent in a single year.
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Easter is going to look a little different this year according to new data, with shoppers set to give chocolate a miss. Nine
Compare the Market found that nine out of 12 items analysed have risen in price. These items include hot cross buns, Easter eggs, Easter bunnies, and other Easter treats.
And it is the Kinder Surprise Milk Chocolate Blue Easter Bunny that has increased the most since 2025, going from $7 to $9.
Thankfully this product has now been discounted ahead of the Easter long weekend, down to $6.30 at Coles and Woolworths. But that's the smaller bunny.
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The Kinder Easter Bunny has had one of the most significant price rises this year. Supplied
The larger Kinder bunny which weighs 100g is $15 this year, but has since been marked down to $10.50.
"On average, shoppers will spend $16.40 more for the same 12 items," Compare the Market's Chris Ford said.
They also found the Darrell Lea Easter Bilby is up 23.52 per cent. And Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny has increased by 23.07 per cent.
"Home brands and lesser‑known labels can still taste great, just without the flashy packaging," Ford said.
"You can also crack the code on value by checking the unit price under each item. It's a simple way to see whether a bunny or an egg gives you more choc for your choccie dollar."
We asked nine.com.au staffers about their plans for this Easter weekend, and every single one of them revealed drastically reduced Easter baskets.
"On average, shoppers will spend $16.40 more for the same 12 items." Nine
"My family usually start stocking up on little Cadbury eggs in mid-march to give to kids when people come round or snack on after dinner, but we haven't even looked at the Easter aisle this year," one staffer said.
"We'll do one bunny each for immediate family but that's the only chocolate we'll be buying with prices the way they are at the moment."
"Our family is axing any Easter eggs/gifts for adults this year. Kids only," another said.
"Even then we're spending our money on Easter-themed gifts that will last like books or pyjamas and just getting enough eggs for an Easter morning hunt."
One nine.com.au staffer used "Easter lollies" to bulk up their Easter gifts this year.
"I only ever buy Easter treats for my nieces and nephew (four, five and seven) but I got sneaky with it this year. I'd usually fill a bag each with a ton of chocolates for them but instead I got them a chocolate bunny each from Kmart and then went to The Reject Shop and got three bags of easter lollies (bunny shaped gummies, sour eggs etc) and filled the bags around the lollies," they explained.
Easter chocolate prices have a lot of Aussies reconsidering their plans. Nine
"The lollies were about $1.50 a bag. My sisters might kill me for the sugar high is the only issue."
One nine.com.au staffer still ended up spending $60 on Easter treats despite stripping back their plans but their purchases still "felt like barely anything".
"I couldn't completely go without a bunny for myself, otherwise the rest was for my daughter!"
Another staffer bought a Kinder bunny for their daughter "and one of those little sets with a bowl, spoon and cup".
Easter themed gifts are taking priority over chocolate for many this year. Nine
"Last year we went nuts and got heaps to do a hunt for her and it's just not happening this year.
"Usually I would have thrown a few bunnies in the shopping too in the lead up, but it's just not worth it right now. Thank god for grandparents who are going to do all the expensive shopping."
Those Australians who celebrate Orthodox Easter a week later are able to pay the lowest prices.
The price of chocolate has several nine.com.au staffers swapping their Easter shopping habits. Nine
You can't deny it's a luxury item right now. Nine
One nine.com.au staffer who celebrates Orthodox Easter won't be buying Easter chocolates for their kids as they are now teens, but do still have godparent duties.
"None for our now teen kids. However, as godparents we do have some easter eggs to purchase but thankfully this year we have a little win as we will wait until after Sunday to do our choccy shopping when some items are on sale. orthodox Easter is April 12 this year."
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