Easter egg ‘shrinkflation’ revealed: Shoppers withstand 44% rise in value per gram as chocolate will get smaller whereas value tags enhance

Britain’s shoppers are once again paying more for less for Easter chocolates at supermarkets as an investigation exposes ‘shrinkflation’ across chains and brands.

The cost of chocolate across UK stores has surged by 9.7 per cent in a just a year, more than double the rate for overall food and drink inflation at 3.9 per cent.

Easter eggs and other chocolate products from brands including Cadbury, M&Ms, Galaxy, Maltesers and Toblerone have all seen large price rises per gram.

Retailers and manufacturers say chocolate prices are rising quickly due to a severe global cocoa shortage caused by poor harvests, disease and ageing trees in West Africa – amid high demand and increased costs for energy and transportation.

The most striking example uncovered by the probe from consumer group Which? was a Galaxy Milk Chocolate Extra Large Easter Egg at Asda, increasing from £4.98 for 252g in 2025 to £5.97 for 210g in 2026 – a 44 per cent rise in price per gram.

The same product at Tesco also shrank by the same amount and became pricier, up from £6 to £7 – a rise of 40 per cent per gram, although it is still cheaper in Asda.

Another example saw the M&M’s Crispy Easter Egg rising from £3.48 for 192g last year to £3.97 for 156g this year, a 40 per cent increase in price per gram.

A Maltesers Milk Chocolate Easter Egg at Tesco shrunk in size from 231g to 194g while increasing in price from £6 to £7, a price hike of 39 per cent per gram.

At Morrisons, the Cadbury Mini Eggs Milk Chocolate Easter Egg went from £4 for 193.5g last year to £5 for 181g this year, meaning it rose 34 per cent per gram.

Toblerone The Edgy Egg Milk Chocolate Easter Egg With Truffles at the same chain went from £14 for 298g last year to £15 for 256g in 2026, up 25 per cent per gram.

Meanwhile the Cadbury Dairy Milk and White Shell Egg at Tesco saw its price remain at £15 but the weight fall from 372g to 360g – a 3 per cent rise per gram.

At Ocado, the Cadbury Assortment Minis Mix Easter Egg Sharing Bag stayed at 232g but went from £4.20 in 2025 to £6.79 in 2026 – up 62 per cent.

In addition, M&M’s Crispy Milk Chocolate Easter Mini Eggs at Morrisons stayed at 72g but rose from £1.50 last year to £2.30 this year – an increase of 53 per cent.

Which? retail editor Reena Sewraz told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s disappointing to see Easter treats aren’t safe from shrinkflation, with some products going up in price significantly, even though they’re smaller than last year.

‘Manufacturers are quietly giving shoppers less for more, so it’s no wonder people feel cheated when they get less bang for their buck.

‘To ensure you’re getting a fair deal, always check the ‘price per 100g’ on the shelf edge label rather than just the headline price. This is the only way to accurately compare different brands and sizes to ensure you are bagging a genuine bargain.’

The firm tracks about 25,000 products across eight major UK supermarkets to provide a detailed, year-on-year look at how grocery prices are changing.

The analysis compares average costs across 20 product categories to look at specific inflation trends for individual retailers, product ranges and items.

Which? also said it concluded ‘shrinkflation’ – where a product reduces in size but its price is maintained or increased – had become a trend in the seasonal aisle.

For overall inflation across ranges of groceries, supermarket own-label premium products were found to have had the highest rates of inflation at 6.7 per cent, above budget own-brand items at 4 per cent and branded items at 2.8 per cent.

Waitrose had the highest rate of inflation at 4.7 per cent while Aldi had the lowest at 2.9 per cent. Which? added that researchers regularly find that Aldi and Lidl are the cheapest supermarkets overall and are both a good option for saving money.

Its supermarket inflation tracker looks at 20 popular categories of food and drink at Aldi, Asda, Lidl, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

It compares average prices across the same three-month and one-month periods year-on-year, including discounts but not multibuys or loyalty card offers. Figures are then weighted based on market share and the sales volume of each category.

To see the impact on specific products, Which? looks at a three-month average – in this case from December 2025 to February 2026 – and compares it year on year.

The ‘shrinkflation’ prices quoted are the non-promoted price, also known as the ‘base price’, used last year and this year at each supermarket.

The Daily Mail approached all the named supermarkets and brands for comment.

A spokesperson for Mars Wrigley, which owns the Galaxy, M&Ms and Maltesers brands, said: ‘We always aim to absorb rising costs wherever possible.

‘However, ongoing pressures, including the well-documented rises in the cost of cocoa, mean we have had to make carefully considered changes to ensure shoppers can continue to enjoy their favourite Easter treats without any compromise on the quality or taste they expect from Mars. 

‘As with all our products, final pricing remains at the discretion of individual retailers.’ 

A Morrisons statement said: ‘Morrisons remains committed to providing good, honest value and we’re working hard to keep our prices down and competitive so our customers can spend less while still enjoying the quality Morrisons is famous for. 

‘In addition, our More Card members can earn Five More Points on every product in store, online and in Morrisons Daily stores and also benefit from personalised offers and money-off coupons on the things they buy the most of. 

‘Customers to our Cafés can also take advantage of a range of offers such as our Kids Eat Free promotion, which runs every day, or free refills on all hot drinks.’ 

A spokesperson for Tesco said: ‘The prices quoted by Which? do not reflect the prices that the great majority of customers will pay for Easter eggs at Tesco. 

‘Four of the five products Which? highlighted are currently on Clubcard Price deals, with the Galaxy Milk Chocolate Easter Egg and the Maltesers Milk Chocolate Egg both currently half price at just £3.50. 

‘Through our unique combination of Aldi Price Match, Everyday Low Prices and Clubcard Prices we are focussed on delivering great value for our customers, however they choose to shop with us.’ 

On Clubcard Prices, the Galaxy Milk Chocolate Easter Egg 210g and Maltesers Milk Chocolate Easter Egg 194g are both £3.50; Cadbury Mini Eggs Orange Chocolate Eggs Bag 74g is currently £1.45; and Cadbury Dairy Milk & White Half & Half Shell Egg 360g is currently £11. 

And a Sainsbury’s spokesperson said: ‘We know Easter is a time many come together which is why we are focused on giving customers brilliant value with trusted quality.

‘Our delicious By Sainsbury’s Hot Cross Buns in our Aldi Price Match scheme are just 95p – over 12 per cent cheaper than last year.

‘We’re continuing fantastic offers as the Easter break approaches with Nectar Prices, including 25 per cent off our extra-large Taste the Difference Easter Eggs and half price or better on By Sainsbury’s Whole Leg of Lamb, By Sainsbury’s Beef Joint and By Sainsbury’s Side of Salmon.’