Retail Occasions Series: UK Easter 2026

PUBLISHED: April 30, 2026

PAGES: 111 Pages

DELIVERY TIME: 1-2 business days

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The Easter 2026 report forms part of GlobalData's Retail Occasions series, and offers a comprehensive insight into the consumer dynamics and spending habits of UK consumers on Easter. The report analyses the market, the major players, the main trends, and consumer attitudes.

Easter spending proved resilient this year despite ongoing financial pressures, with shopper penetration remaining stable as celebrants continued to engage with the occasion. Consumers prioritised at-home celebrations, family time, and special meals, boosting demand for fresh food and Easter eggs, Retail and leisure participation also strengthened, with more financially secure shoppers helping to sustain overall Easter demand.

Scope

Consumers celebrating Easter prioritised at-home occasions and spending more time with family
Easter eggs spending increased with price emerging as the key purchase driver
More financially secure consumers are now driving Easter demand

Reasons to Buy

Identify the key retailers used by consumers to purchase Easter products across various categories, and what drives consumers to shop with these retailers
Understand the most appealing Easter categories shopped for by consumers in 2026
Understand which channels used by consumers are the most popular when shopping for Easter products

Product Code: GDRT260008OC

KEY FINDINGS

Summary of Easter 2026
Key findings
Easter spending proves resilient despite declining participation
Fresh food and at-home dining lead the way this Easter
Demand for low-cost Easter eggs soars as price becomes the lead driver in gifting
Trend insight - stores
Trend insight - online

CONSUMER ATTITUDES

Participation dynamics
Buying dynamics
Financial wellbeing
Easter spending
Financing occasion spending
Easter activities
Meal choices
Dining out choices
Takeaway cuisines
Dining in choices
Easter statements
Retailer selection
Retailer ratings - grocers
Retailer ratings - non-food Retailers
Retailer drivers by category
Secondhand Easter items

FOOD & DRINK

Buying dynamics
Retailer selection
Channel usage
Store type
Device usage
Fulfilment
Average spend
Buying dynamics
Planned/impulse purchases

GIFTING

Buying dynamics
Retailers used
Gift recipients
Retailer selection
Channel usage
Store type
Device usage
Fulfilment
Average spend
Buying dynamics
Planned/impulse purchases
Personalisation

SEASONAL ITEMS

Buying dynamics
Retailer selection
Channel usage
Store type
Device usage
Fulfilment
Spending
Buying dynamics
Planned/impulse purchases
Personalisation

METHODOLOGY

Technical details: consumer survey work

Product Code: GDRT260008OC

List of Table

List of Tables

Retailer ratings across key measures - grocers, 2026
Retailer ratings across key measures - non-food retailers, 2026
Products purchased, secondhand items, 2026
Percentage point change, retailers shopped at for food & drink, 2025-2026
Percentage point change, retailers most shopped at for food & drink, 2025-2026
Percentage point change, retailers consumers switched to, 2025-2026
Products purchased, cakes chocolates & biscuits, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, fresh meat & meat-free alternatives, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, fruit & vegetables, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, non-alcoholic drinks, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, alcoholic drinks, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, breakfast foods, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, frozen foods, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, fish, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, delicatessen products, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, ready meals & meal deals, 2026 & 2025
Categories bought on impulse by food & drink shoppers, 2026 & 2025
Percentage point change retailers shopped at for gifts, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, Easter eggs & confectionery, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, Easter eggs & confectionery, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, other gift food, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, other gift food, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, other non-food gifts, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, other non-food gifts, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, flowers & plants, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, flowers & plants, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, gift drink, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, gift drink, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, beauty & personal care, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, beauty & personal care, 2026 & 2025
Gift products bought on impulse, 2026 & 2025
Gift products personalised, 2026 & 2025
Percentage point change retailers shopped at for seasonal items, 2026-2025
Products purchased, cards, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, cards, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, gift wrap & accessories, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, gift wrap & accessories, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, decorations, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, decorations, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, crafts, 2026
Retailers used, crafts, 2026
Products purchased, outdoor gardening products, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, outdoor gardening products, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, homewares, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, homewares, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, DIY & home improvement, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, DIY & home improvement, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, clothing, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, clothing, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, indoor plants & flowers, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, indoor plants & flowers, 2026 & 2025
Products purchased, electrical goods, 2026 & 2025
Retailers used, electrical goods, 2026 & 2025
Seasonal items buying fixtures & fittings, 2026
Seasonal items bought on impulse, 2026 & 2025
Seasonal items personalised, 2026 & 2025

List of Figure

List of Figures

Easter shopper penetration (2018-2026)
Easter spending (2026) vs 2025
Retailers shopped at for food & drink (2026)
Top five seasonal categories purchased by Easter shoppers (2026)
Top five brands for Eastereggs & confectionery gifts (2026)
Easter participation penetration 2024-2026, by demographic and region 2026
Easter shopper penetration 2026, 2025 & 2024, by demographic and region 2026
Easter shopper profile (by demographic and region), 2026
Easter retail penetration 2026, 2025 & 2024, by demographic and region 2026
Easter leisure penetration 2026, 2025 & 2024, by demographic and region 2026
Financial wellbeing compared to last year, 2026 & 2025
How consumers Easter spending compared to last year, 2026 & 2025
How consumers financed Easter spending, 2026 & 2025
Easter spending on retail and leisure, 2026 and change on 2025
Easter activities undertaken, 2026 and change on 2025
Easter dining out choices, 2026 & 2025
Easter takeaway cuisines, 2026 & 2025
Easter dining in choices, 2026 & 2025
Agreement & disagreement statements about Easter, 2026 and change on 2025
Success of retailers at promoting or communicating Easter deals, 2026 and change on 2025
Retail drivers by category, 2026
Easter secondhand purchase penetration, 2026
Reasons for shopping secondhand for Easter, 2026
Reasons for not shopping secondhand for Easter, 2026
Overall food & drink penetration 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Retailers shopped at for food & drink, 2026 & 2025
Retailers most shopped at for food & drink, 2026 & 2025
Drivers of food & drink retailer selection, 2026, and change on 2025
Consumers switching from their usual main retailer 2026 (by demographic) and 2025
Retailers consumers switched to, 2026 & 2025
Consumers using each channel for food & drink, 2026 & 2025
Consumers using each physical store type for food & drink, 2026 & 2025
Consumers using each device for food & drink purchases, 2026 & 2025
Consumers using each fulfilment option for food & drink, 2026 & 2025
Easter food & drink average spend, 2026 & (£) change on 2025
Cakes, chocolates & biscuits 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Fresh meat & vegetarian alternatives 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Fruit & vegetables 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Non-alcoholic drinks 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Alcoholic drinks 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Breakfast foods 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Frozen foods 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Fish 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Delicatessen products 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Ready meals 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Overall food & drink planned/impulse purchases, and by category, 2026
Overall gifts penetration 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Retailers shopped at for gifts, 2026 & 2025
Who consumers bought Easter gifts for, 2026, and change on 2025
Drivers of gifts retailer selection, 2026, and change on 2025
Consumers using each channel for gifts, 2026 & 2025
Consumers using each physical store type for gifts, 2026 & 2025
Consumers using each device for gifts purchases, 2026 & 2025
Consumers using each fulfilment option for gifts, 2026 & 2025
Easter gifts average spend, 2026 & (£) change on 2025
Easter eggs & confectionery 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Top 15 brands consumers bought Easter eggs & confectionery gifts from, 2026 & 2025
Other gift food 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Other non-food gifts 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Flowers & plants 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Gift drink 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Beauty & personal care 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Overall gifts planned/impulse purchases, and by category, 2026, and change on 2025
Overall gifts personalisation, and by category, 2026, and change on 2025
Overall seasonal items penetration 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Retailers shopped at for seasonal items, 2026 & 2025
Drivers of seasonal items retailer selection, 2026, and change on 2025
Consumers using each channel for seasonal items, 2026 & 2025
Consumers using each physical store type for seasonal items, 2026 & 2025
Consumers using each device for seasonal items purchases, 2026 & 2025
Consumers using each fulfilment option for seasonal items, 2026 & 2025
Average spend on Easter seasonal products, 2026, and (£) change on 2025
Cards 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Gift wrap & accessories 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Decorations 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Crafts 2026 (by demographic) penetration
Outdoor gardening products 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Homewares 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
DIY & home improvement 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Clothing 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Indoor plants & flowers 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Electrical goods 2026 (by demographic) and 2025, 2024 penetration
Overall seasonal items fixtures & fittings purchases, and by category, 2026
Overall seasonal items planned/impulse purchases, and by category, 2026
Overall seasonal items personalisation, 2026