EASTER is fairly late this year – Easter Sunday is 20 April so there’s still time for retailers to cash in on what is traditionally the best season for confectionery sales.
Wholesaler Bestway says that in 2014, convenience retailers should plan their Easter sales carefully to maximise impulse confectionery sales.
The firm, which owns the Batleys cash and carry chain, reckons retailers should concentrate on filled eggs and similar products for the Easter period.
As they are impulse lines, they can be sold both in the run up to Easter and even in the period after without having to be discounted. Shell eggs, on the other hand, often have to be discounted after Easter Sunday, the firm says.
Bestway’s top-selling Easter impulse lines last year were Cadbury Creme Egg 40g, Malteaster Bunny 29g and Kinder Egg 20g.
Just ahead of the start of the Creme Egg season earlier this year Mumtaz Ali, senior category manager for impulse at Bestway, said: “Over the last few years, sales of shell eggs in the convenience channel have been eroded by aggressive pricing in multiple retailers making it almost impossible for the independent to compete.
“By concentrating on filled eggs and impulse lines such as Cadbury Creme Egg, Malteaster and Mini Eggs, retailers should able to take full advantage of the 15 weeks up to Easter from January.
“Compare this to the selling period for shell eggs, which are traditionally purchased by consumers in the two weeks prior to Easter Sunday.”
