Chocolate eggs are a staple snack in the Netherlands during Easter, but with the rise in cocoa prices, Dutch households have been less inclined to purchase the tasty morsels. Easter egg sales have decreased by 12,5 percent this year compared to 2024.
At the behest of NOS, market research agency Hiiper compared the sales of paaseitjes (easter eggs) in the 10 weeks leading up to Easter last year and this year. The data shows that sales have gone down 12,5 percent in 2025.
According to consumer food specialist at Rabobank Sebastiaan Schreijen, the considerable difference in sales is largely down to high cocoa prices. Research by the Dutch bank has shown that cocoa has become 50 to 70 percent more expensive since 2021.
"We see that the prices of Easter eggs have increased by roughly 30 percent compared to last year,” Schreijen told NOS. “This means that if you want to spend as much as last year, you will get fewer eggs.” Last year’s Sinterklaas celebrations saw a similar effect due to cocoa prices, with chocolate letters costing 25 percent more.
With the rising costs of groceries, you can see the change in consumer spending habits at Dutch supermarkets. "On average, prices in supermarkets have gone up by about 30 percent in the past three years,” explained Schreijen. “By buying fewer or cheaper products such as house brands, consumers have tried to prevent their spending from also going up by 30 percent."
As people living in the Netherlands keep a sharper eye on their budgets, they are less likely to splurge on pricy chocolate eggs. However, Schreijen does note that sales will probably pick up the closer we get to the holiday. "Certainly, when Easter is still a bit further away, consumers clearly made different choices because of the high prices.”
Hiiper’s data has proven this theory correct as the difference between this year’s sales and those of last year actually reduced in the last week that data was available. “Now that Easter is really approaching, you see that they are finally giving in and accepting the high prices." While the most recent figures show a 12,5 percent drop, a week earlier sales were 19 percent down, showing that chocolate eggs are still very much a part of Easter celebrations.
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