Britons poised to spend £1.7 billion over Easter this year

Britons are expected to spend £1.7 billion over Easter 2022- 4.2 percent more than last year, says new research.

According to a survey by Global Data questioning 2,000 UK adults about their plans for Easter, 31 percent said they expected to spend more this year than they did in 2019. 

While Easter 2021 did bounce back after the Covid-impaired prior year, 2022 marks the first opportunity for friends and family to celebrate Easter without restrictions limiting activities. 

About 30.8 percent of UK consumers stated that they intend to spend time with family over the event, said Zoe Mills, senior retail analyst at GlobalData, citing the survey results. 

“This will drive engagement in the occasion this year with opportunity to entertain, and retailers should focus on complementary categories such as decorations and tableware.

Despite strong growth prospects for this occasion, consumers remain “mindful about their health and what they consume”, Mills added. 

“The continued shift in dietary habits has seen a number of consumers turn away from dairy and gluten, encouraging retailers and brands to improve the level of choice in vegan and free-from Easter eggs, as well as dark chocolate options. 

While chocolate Easter eggs are a staple of the event, 40.1 percent of shoppers are planning to seek out healthier alternatives this year, says the survey findings.

The survey result comes amid increasing cost of living squeeze affecting Britons. Alongside a continued rise in energy prices, inflation has already risen by 6.2 percent in the year up to February and could go up to 8 percent by spring, according to the Bank of England.