Some things are worth spending money on even during a cost of living crisis – and for Sydneysiders, Easter is one of them.
Sinead Connon, a 22-year-old living in Newtown, will be enjoying her holiday at a music festival with her friends. She purchased bunny ears and chocolate for the group to inject some Easter cheer into the weekend.
Even though she had to pay more for Easter chocolate this year, Connon said it was worthwhile to celebrate with family and friends.
“Sometimes you have to choose your moments, and that means shopping between different shops to see what’s on sale … Some things are more worth it, social things, things for fun,” she said.
It’s not unusual for people to indulge in times of crisis. An economic theory called the “lipstick effect” suggests consumers splurge on small luxuries to boost morale and spark joy in otherwise troubling periods.
Many this Easter have opted to sacrifice other expenses, like petrol, so they can afford to celebrate.
Data from consumer advocacy group Choice found prices on some Easter chocolate had increased by up to 33 per cent because of the once-soaring cost of cocoa. But despite rising at major supermarkets, demand remains strong.
Unit sales at Woolworths are currently ahead of where they were in 2025, while a Coles spokesperson says it expects its biggest Easter yet, stocking more than 3000 tonnes of eggs and bunnies.
Katie, 38-year-old mum to May, 3, and Yianna, 1, knows her Easter shopping will be more expensive this year, but that won’t stop her family’s celebrations this Sunday.
“We normally do an Easter egg hunt around the house and I think we’re going to do the same thing this year,” she said at a shopping centre in Marrickville in Sydney’s inner west.
“Outside [Easter] chocolate, everything’s going up.
“People are riding their bikes to work now because of the cost of petrol … people are eating out less.”
Sales are also holding up at the luxury end of the chocolate market, bucking the cost-of-living crunch.
Chocolatier Jin Sun Kim from Kakawa Chocolates said demand at their small Darlinghurst shop has not waned, and they have sold more than expected given the unstable and challenging economic climate.
Kim reckons increased prices at mainstream retailers may be buoying sales.
“We didn’t put our prices up a lot, and so I think people are turning to more artisan than factory goods,” Kim said.
Ben Gray, an Anglican minister at Petersham church, still plans to celebrate Easter with his family, but will spend less on chocolate this year.
Gray has five children, two of them adults. “But they still want chocolate,” he said.
The 22-year family tradition of an Easter Sunday egg hunt will continue, with some changes.
“My wife’s very creative. She creates clues and trails and things for them to discover,” Gray said.
“Everyone’s going to get one kind of Crunchie egg and then a few little ones.
“Normally, we would have lots of little ones everywhere. But we decided that was too expensive.”
The Grays have made other sacrifices to accommodate the Easter spending, driving less and catching public transport.
The family have also been “stung” by Easter egg shrinkflation this year when they unpacked an online grocery order.
Shrinkflation has been amplified this Easter. Product weight has fallen, and prices have remained stable or increased.
A pack of hollow Cadbury Easter eggs now retails for $18 per box of 20. Two dozen eggs were $12.50 in 2024. A year later it was $15 for 22 eggs.
The Humpty Dumpty egg – a popular, if nostalgic choice – climbed from $5 in 2023 to $9.50 in 2025. This year, it commanded $11.50 at major supermarkets, but had a great fall to $8 on special.
Outside the supermarkets, some bargain retailers are selling chocolates at discounted prices.
Ten Tops, a chain selling nothing over $10, stocked discounted eggs and bunnies at its stores across western Sydney. In Castle Hill, Easter Egg Warehouse offered bulk deals.
Other savvy shoppers turned to factory outlets – Lindt in Marsden Park and Darrell Lea in Ingleburn – for discounted Easter stock and factory seconds.
In regional NSW, Parkes retailer Discount Dave’s secured some discounted Easter chocolates; its biggest bargain a 300 gram bag of Lindt eggs, marked down from $35 to $10. Woolworths-owned Big W had them for $17.50.
Elsewhere, social media users are sharing DIY tips and tricks, and advice on how to budget for the Easter holiday.
Consumer finance expert Joel Gibson recommends last-minute shoppers research before rushing out to buy Easter chocolate.
“I definitely suggest people don’t just walk into the first supermarket they see and fill their trolley because there will still be some discounts on Easter chocolates,” he said.
On Reddit, one Australian user said they would not be buying Easter chocolate at all, instead melting chocolate and using moulds to make their own.
“You end up buying a lot of blocks of chocolate but still cheaper and more fun,” another user responded.
Macquarie University Accounting and Finance Professor John Dumay said the surging prices on supermarket shelves this Easter could stretch into next year, despite cocoa prices plummeting from the record highs caused by a global shortage.
But Dumay said Easter treats are embedded in Australian culture and consumers are unlikely to stop buying them.
“It’s a big part of our festive seasons … it’s hard to break that tradition.”
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Emily Kaine is a national news blogger at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.
Jack Gramenz is a breaking news reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via email.