Spring is just around the corner, and one of the biggest seasonal moments for convenience retail is Easter. Alongside warmer weather and longer days, it brings a shift in shopper habits, from gifting and social occasions to lighter food choices and more impulse purchasing. For retailers, it’s a good opportunity to refresh ranges, rethink displays and make sure seasonal lines are working hard.
Easter confectionery remains a strong retail driver, widely recognised as the second biggest seasonal confectionery occasion after Christmas, with consistent demand driven by gifting, sharing and last-minute impulse purchases. Even during periods of tighter consumer spending, seasonal chocolate tends to hold up well as an affordable treat[1].
New for Easter 2026
This year’s launches are all about premiumisation and flavour innovation. Brands are leaning into more indulgent formats, collaborative flavours and eye-catching seasonal packaging to drive impulse.
Cadbury has expanded its Easter offering with products such as Biscoff-flavoured eggs and premium shell formats, tapping into familiar flavours that already resonate strongly with shoppers.
Terry’s Chocolate is also building on momentum with Chocolate Orange Cream Filled Egg and marble-style seasonal variants after strong performance last year.
Mars Wrigley has launched an initiative called the Great Easter Bunny Off, which combines three Easter products – Maltesers Bunny Milk Chocolate, M&M’s Crispy Bunny, and Maltesers Bunny Popcorn – and packages them with free-standing display units, as well as shelf barkers, POS and digital retail media.
Seasonal Shopper Missions Beyond Chocolate
While confectionery dominates Easter, it’s also a turning point for spring behaviour, as customers lean into lighter food choices and the return of outdoor occasions.
Drinks and lighter refreshment
Warmer weather typically supports growth in soft drinks, RTDs, iced coffee and lighter alcohol options. Cross-merchandising these with seasonal confectionery or food-to-go can help increase basket spend.
Food-to-go and social occasions
Sharing snacks, sandwiches and quick meal solutions often pick up earlier than expected as outdoor gatherings return.
Gifting and last-minute purchases
Convenience stores are particularly well placed for last-minute gifting, where smaller seasonal lines can perform strongly – Think Mother’s Day and Easter.
Merchandising
Visibility remains the biggest driver of seasonal sales.
- Dedicated Easter displays near entrances or counters
- Smaller impulse packs at the till
- Cross-merchandising confectionery with drinks or snacks
- Clear pricing to support quick decisions
Many retailers start introducing Easter treats straight after Christmas, so if you haven’t started stocking a few Easter lines yet, now’s the time to get involved. As Easter weekend comes around, make sure you’ve also got plenty of last-minute party buys and impulse purchases such as crisps, cold beers, wine, and soft drinks, ice, and classic top-up lines like milk, bread, and eggs. With four days to be had for celebrations, it’s an occasion not to be missed.
[1]Grocery Trader: Seasonal sales boost – Easter is the second most lucrative confectionery occasion of the year – 26 January, 2026
