Psychologist reveals the rationale supermarkets begin promoting Easter eggs straight after Christmas
A psychologist has revealed the reason why supermarkets are already putting Easter Eggs on display.
Kamalyn Kaur, a psychotherapist, says British supermarkets are using the technique to trick customers into buying more sweet treats.
Apparently the sneaky technique gets people thinking about the occasion in advance, and makes you more likely to buy the chocolate eggs well before the reason for the season.
The supermarkets are, the expert claims, hoping people will buy now for fears that they won’t have any of the ones you want left in stock come April.
Speaking to Metro, Kamalyn explained: ‘Easter eggs being in the shops now is a strategy which can trigger our psychological triggers that encourage us to buy them now.
‘Shops will often strategically introduce seasonal items well in advance of the actual holiday or event to create a sense of anticipation and excitement that can prompt early purchases.
‘Seeing Easter eggs displayed now can serve as a visual or subconscious reminder of the event, which can encourage people to start planning their Easter celebrations well in advance.’
She claimed that if Easter eggs are displayed earlier it can create ‘a sense of urgency’ and ‘scarcity’ which could encourage some consumers to buy now.
According to Psychotherapist Kamalyn Kaur selling Easter Eggs right after Christmas is a psychological trick that encourages you to buy more (stock image)
Meanwhile some people might even buy chocolate eggs to consume them right away and will go back to buy more closer to the holiday.
With Easter Sunday falling on April 20 this year, customers shared their confusion on social media after finding chocolate eggs and hot cross buns already for sale in shops including Morrisons, Co-op, Tesco and Asda.
They’ve also been put out on the shelves in the Co-op in Beith, Ayrshire and in Morrisons in Witham, Essex
One user, @Jingle1991, shared an image of Malteser Bunnies in Sainsbury’s on Christmas Eve and pointed out: ‘Jesus hasn’t even been born yet.’
Meanwhile, Gary Evans from Margate shared a shot of Creme Eggs on display in Morrisons in Margate on Boxing Day.
‘I just think its crazy that everything is so superficial and meaninglessly commercial… (there’s) something quite frantic about it,’ the 66-year-old said.
Apparently the sneaky tactic gets people thinking about the occasion in advance, and makes you more likely to buy the chocolate eggs now
Joseph Robinson found Easter confectionery including Cadbury Mini Eggs, and themed Kit-Kat and Kinder Surprise products at his local Morrisons in Stoke-on-Trent.
‘It’s funny as they’ve not even managed to shift the Christmas chocolates off the shelves yet and they’re already stocking for Easter,’ the 35-year-old admin support said.
‘I wish that Supermarkets weren’t so blatantly consumerist-driven and would actually allow customers and staff a time to decompress during the Christmas period.’
Usually preparations for Easter don’t start until much later but that doesn’t seem to have stopped budget-shop B&M from advertising Cadbury’s Mini Eggs either.
Bags of Cadbury‘s Mini Eggs were put on display at B&M on December 10 – but it didn’t take long for chocolate lovers to note that ‘we still have Xmas, New Years and Valentines’ to go before Easter.
Instagram page UKNewestFoods announced the availability of the product on social media, sharing a snap of the huge 1kg bag of chocolate and declaring the advent of ‘Eastermas’.
‘Mini Eggs 1kg bags are back!! Merry Eastermas. Out now for £14 at B&M,’ they added.
When images of Easter treats started to appear elsewhere online, chocolate lovers didn’t hesitate to share their views on the early arrival.
Bags of Cadbury’s Mini Eggs, pictured at a shop, were put on display at budget store B&M on December 10
Taking to X (formerly Twitter ), one person posted a picture of a set of supermarket shelves stocked full of Easter treats with the caption: ‘He’s not even been born yet’
Taking to X (formerly Twitter), one person posted a picture of a set of supermarket shelves stocked with Easter treats ranging from Mini Eggs to Creme Eggs as well as Milky Bar and Smarties chocolate eggs with the caption: ‘He’s not even been born yet.’
Christian tradition states that Jesus was born on December 25, crucified on Good Friday and resurrected on Easter Sunday.
Another social media user joked: ‘I suppose this is what they call a spoiler alert’.
While a third despaired: ‘Oh that’s ridiculous’.
A fourth person appeared to be in shock, commenting: ‘Can’t be real?’
Others were, however, delighted that Easter chocolate had gone on sale early, with one person posting a picture of Mini eggs and other chocolatey treats, with the caption: ‘They new I was coming over for Xmas and need to stock up before.’
A sixth person chimed in: ‘NO ONE should EVER make any even SLIGHTLY negative comment about the appearance of Cadbury Mini eggs’.
Someone else joked: ‘Read your bible. The wise men brought gold, Cadbury creme, and myrrh’.
Another user added: ‘The Cadbury Mini egg chocolate bar is SOOOOO GOOD though I’m going to allow this violation of the Holiday Temporal Prime Directive to slide… just this once.’
Fans of Mini eggs, however, weren’t just concerned with their early appearance on the shop floor – they were also struck by how expensive the B&M bag of the sugar-coated chocolates were.
