Confectionery giant says short season means its vital to be ready in January
2016 will have the earliest Easter weekend since 2008 and, as a result, one of the shortest Easter confectionery sales seasons in many years.
Cadbury brand owner Mondlelez International is urging retailers to get the biggest chocolate sales period of the year off to a flying start when the new year dawns.
The company’s range for Easter 2016 was unveiled last month. It features some new lines and much more uniform use of graphics and branding.
It’s following a similar packaging strategy to that on its festive season range, where it introduced Christmas jumper-themed packs across several lines last year.
In the Easter range, packs will feature a cracked-open egg revealing rays of sunshine.
New items on the Easter list for 2016 include: Cadbury Dairy Milk Bunny Vanilla Mousse, intended as a treat for parents to give to children; a small shell egg, again intended for children; medium-sized shell eggs featuring Cadbury Dairy Milk Freddo Faces and Cadbury Dairy Milk with Mini Oreo; a new range of Cadbury Dairy Milk Bunny novelties; and Cadbury Dairy Milk Mini Hollow Freddos.
The company repeated its scheduling and merchandising advice from last year, saying retailers should divide the season into three periods.
In the first third it says stores should get the season off to a fast start with single-serve products aimed at consumers who fancy treating themselves, such as Cadbury Creme Egg.
From January the firm will once again run its Goo-less prize promotion. Consumers and Cadbury Easter POS-using retailers are in the running for prizes whenever one of a number of Goo-less Creme Eggs (solid chocolate eggs of identical weight, size, shape and wrapping as normal Creme Eggs) is found.
In the second third it recommends introducing sharing products.
And in the final third of the period, as we approach Easter Sunday, it suggests convenience retailers should highlight small shell eggs and Easter gift lines to win top-up sales.
