Dutch Easter chocolate sales drop 12.5% as cocoa prices soar

Easter chocolate sales in the Netherlands have dropped sharply this year, with supermarket shelves still stocked with unsold chocolate eggs. New research shows a 12.5 percent decrease in sales compared to the same period in 2024, as high cocoa prices and ethical concerns reportedly push consumers to cut back.

Market research firm Hiiper, commissioned by NOS, compared chocolate sales in the 10 weeks leading up to Easter this year and last. It found a 12.5 percent decline in Easter egg purchases. Hiiper collects data from a large, representative panel of Dutch households who submit receipts and transaction data daily. The findings include purchases from supermarkets (80 percent of the total), as well as chains like Action, HEMA, and drugstores. Specialty stores were not included.

“The difference is significant,” said Sebastiaan Schreijen, consumer food specialist at Rabobank. “While other ingredients like milk and sugar also play a role, cocoa is the main cost driver.”

Cocoa prices have surged by 50 to 70 percent since 2021, according to Rabobank. As a result, the average price of chocolate Easter eggs is up roughly 30 percent compared to last year. “That means if you want to spend the same as in 2024, you’ll walk away with fewer eggs,” Schreijen said.

He added that most shoppers have a fixed amount in mind for treats. “People ask themselves, ‘What do I want to spend on something nice?’ and stick to that number,” he said.

This shift isn’t just limited to seasonal chocolate. Over the past three years, grocery prices have risen about 30 percent on average. Consumers have adjusted by buying fewer items or switching to cheaper store brands.

Still, demand for Easter chocolate started to rise again in the final week of data collection, shrinking the year-on-year sales gap from 19 percent to 12.5 percent. “When Easter gets closer, people still want their traditional chocolate eggs,” Schreijen said. “They eventually give in, even with high prices.”

Despite the spike in global cocoa prices, Schreijen said those costs haven’t yet affected this year’s retail prices. “Supermarkets work with contracts signed 6 to 9 months in advance. The prices for the chocolate in stores now were set last summer, sometimes just after last Easter.”