The Easter 2026 report forms part of the analyst's Retail Occasions series, and offers a comprehensive insight into the consumer dynamics and spending habits of UK consumers on Easter. The report analyses the market, the major players, the main trends, and consumer attitudes.
Easter spending proved resilient this year despite ongoing financial pressures, with shopper penetration remaining stable as celebrants continued to engage with the occasion. Consumers prioritised at-home celebrations, family time, and special meals, boosting demand for fresh food and Easter eggs, Retail and leisure participation also strengthened, with more financially secure shoppers helping to sustain overall Easter demand.
Easter spending proved resilient this year despite ongoing financial pressures, with shopper penetration remaining stable as celebrants continued to engage with the occasion. Consumers prioritised at-home celebrations, family time, and special meals, boosting demand for fresh food and Easter eggs, Retail and leisure participation also strengthened, with more financially secure shoppers helping to sustain overall Easter demand.
Report Scope
- Consumers celebrating Easter prioritised at-home occasions and spending more time with family
- Easter eggs spending increased with price emerging as the key purchase driver
- More financially secure consumers are now driving Easter demand
Reasons to Buy
- Identify the key retailers used by consumers to purchase Easter products across various categories, and what drives consumers to shop with these retailers
- Understand the most appealing Easter categories shopped for by consumers in 2026
- Understand which channels used by consumers are the most popular when shopping for Easter products
Table of Contents
- KEY FINDINGS
- Summary of Easter 2026
- Key findings
- Easter spending proves resilient despite declining participation
- Fresh food and at-home dining lead the way this Easter
- Demand for low-cost Easter eggs soars as price becomes the lead driver in gifting
- Trend insight - stores
- Trend insight - online
- CONSUMER ATTITUDES
- Participation dynamics
- Buying dynamics
- Financial wellbeing
- Easter spending
- Financing occasion spending
- Easter activities
- Meal choices
- Dining out choices
- Takeaway cuisines
- Dining in choices
- Easter statements
- Retailer selection
- Retailer ratings - grocers
- Retailer ratings - non-food Retailers
- Retailer drivers by category
- Secondhand Easter items
- FOOD & DRINK
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Average spend
- Buying dynamics
- Planned/impulse purchases
- GIFTING
- Buying dynamics
- Retailers used
- Gift recipients
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Average spend
- Buying dynamics
- Planned/impulse purchases
- Personalisation
- SEASONAL ITEMS
- Buying dynamics
- Retailer selection
- Channel usage
- Store type
- Device usage
- Fulfilment
- Spending
- Buying dynamics
- Planned/impulse purchases
- Personalisation
- METHODOLOGY
- Technical details: consumer survey work
- Retailer ratings across key measures - grocers, 2026
- Retailer ratings across key measures - non-food retailers, 2026
- Products purchased, secondhand items, 2026
- Percentage point change, retailers shopped at for food & drink, 2025-2026
- Percentage point change, retailers most shopped at for food & drink, 2025-2026
- Percentage point change, retailers consumers switched to, 2025-2026
- Products purchased, cakes chocolates & biscuits, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, fresh meat & meat-free alternatives, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, fruit & vegetables, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, non-alcoholic drinks, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, alcoholic drinks, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, breakfast foods, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, frozen foods, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, fish, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, delicatessen products, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, ready meals & meal deals, 2026 & 2025
- Categories bought on impulse by food & drink shoppers, 2026 & 2025
- Percentage point change retailers shopped at for gifts, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, Easter eggs & confectionery, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, Easter eggs & confectionery, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, other gift food, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, other gift food, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, other non-food gifts, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, other non-food gifts, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, flowers & plants, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, flowers & plants, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, gift drink, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, gift drink, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, beauty & personal care, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, beauty & personal care, 2026 & 2025
- Gift products bought on impulse, 2026 & 2025
- Gift products personalised, 2026 & 2025
- Percentage point change retailers shopped at for seasonal items, 2026-2025
- Products purchased, cards, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, cards, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, gift wrap & accessories, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, gift wrap & accessories, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, decorations, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, decorations, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, crafts, 2026
- Retailers used, crafts, 2026
- Products purchased, outdoor gardening products, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, outdoor gardening products, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, homewares, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, homewares, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, DIY & home improvement, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, DIY & home improvement, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, clothing, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, clothing, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, indoor plants & flowers, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, indoor plants & flowers, 2026 & 2025
- Products purchased, electrical goods, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers used, electrical goods, 2026 & 2025
- Seasonal items buying fixtures & fittings, 2026
- Seasonal items bought on impulse, 2026 & 2025
- Seasonal items personalised, 2026 & 2025
- Easter shopper penetration (2018-2026)
- Easter spending (2026) vs 2025
- Retailers shopped at for food & drink (2026)
- Top five seasonal categories purchased by Easter shoppers (2026)
- Top five brands for Eastereggs & confectionery gifts (2026)
- Easter participation penetration 2024-2026, by demographic and region 2026
- Easter shopper penetration 2026, 2025 & 2024, by demographic and region 2026
- Easter shopper profile (by demographic and region), 2026
- Easter retail penetration 2026, 2025 & 2024, by demographic and region 2026
- Easter leisure penetration 2026, 2025 & 2024, by demographic and region 2026
- Financial wellbeing compared to last year, 2026 & 2025
- How consumers Easter spending compared to last year, 2026 & 2025
- How consumers financed Easter spending, 2026 & 2025
- Easter spending on retail and leisure, 2026 and change on 2025
- Easter activities undertaken, 2026 and change on 2025
- Easter dining out choices, 2026 & 2025
- Easter takeaway cuisines, 2026 & 2025
- Easter dining in choices, 2026 & 2025
- Agreement & disagreement statements about Easter, 2026 and change on 2025
- Success of retailers at promoting or communicating Easter deals, 2026 and change on 2025
- Retail drivers by category, 2026
- Easter secondhand purchase penetration, 2026
- Reasons for shopping secondhand for Easter, 2026
- Reasons for not shopping secondhand for Easter, 2026
- Overall food & drink penetration 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for food & drink, 2026 & 2025
- Retailers most shopped at for food & drink, 2026 & 2025
- Drivers of food & drink retailer selection, 2026, and change on 2025
- Consumers switching from their usual main retailer 2026 (by demographic) and 2025
- Retailers consumers switched to, 2026 & 2025
- Consumers using each channel for food & drink, 2026 & 2025
- Consumers using each physical store type for food & drink, 2026 & 2025
- Consumers using each device for food & drink purchases, 2026 & 2025
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for food & drink, 2026 & 2025
- Easter food & drink average spend, 2026 & (£) change on 2025
- Cakes, chocolates & biscuits 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Fresh meat & vegetarian alternatives 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Fruit & vegetables 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Non-alcoholic drinks 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Alcoholic drinks 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Breakfast foods 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Frozen foods 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Fish 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Delicatessen products 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Ready meals 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Overall food & drink planned/impulse purchases, and by category, 2026
- Overall gifts penetration 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for gifts, 2026 & 2025
- Who consumers bought Easter gifts for, 2026, and change on 2025
- Drivers of gifts retailer selection, 2026, and change on 2025
- Consumers using each channel for gifts, 2026 & 2025
- Consumers using each physical store type for gifts, 2026 & 2025
- Consumers using each device for gifts purchases, 2026 & 2025
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for gifts, 2026 & 2025
- Easter gifts average spend, 2026 & (£) change on 2025
- Easter eggs & confectionery 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Top 15 brands consumers bought Easter eggs & confectionery gifts from, 2026 & 2025
- Other gift food 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Other non-food gifts 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Flowers & plants 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Gift drink 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Beauty & personal care 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Overall gifts planned/impulse purchases, and by category, 2026, and change on 2025
- Overall gifts personalisation, and by category, 2026, and change on 2025
- Overall seasonal items penetration 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Retailers shopped at for seasonal items, 2026 & 2025
- Drivers of seasonal items retailer selection, 2026, and change on 2025
- Consumers using each channel for seasonal items, 2026 & 2025
- Consumers using each physical store type for seasonal items, 2026 & 2025
- Consumers using each device for seasonal items purchases, 2026 & 2025
- Consumers using each fulfilment option for seasonal items, 2026 & 2025
- Average spend on Easter seasonal products, 2026, and (£) change on 2025
- Cards 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Gift wrap & accessories 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Decorations 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Crafts 2026 (by demographic) penetration
- Outdoor gardening products 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Homewares 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- DIY & home improvement 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Clothing 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Indoor plants & flowers 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Electrical goods 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
- Overall seasonal items fixtures & fittings purchases, and by category, 2026
- Overall seasonal items planned/impulse purchases, and by category, 2026
- Overall seasonal items personalisation, 2026
Companies Mentioned (Partial List)
A selection of companies mentioned in this report includes, but is not limited to:
- Aldi
- Amazon
- Apple
- Argos
- ASDA
- B&M
- B&Q
- Boots
- Card Factory
- Cards Direct
- Clintons
- Co-op
- Currys
- Dunelm
- H&M
- Hobbycraft
- Home Bargains
- Hughes
- Iceland
- JD Sports
- John Lewis & Partners
- Lidl
- Littlewoods
- Marks & Spencer
- Matalan
- Moonpig
- Morrisons
- Next
- Nike
- Pandora
- Poundland
- Primark
- Sainsbury's
- Sephora
- SHEIN
- Superdrug
- Tesco
- TG Jones
- The Range
- The Works
- TK Maxx
- Very
- Waitrose & Partners
- WH Smith
- Zara
