Hard times no bar to Easter egg demand

Press, 1 April 1980, Page 1

Hard times no bar to Easter egg demand

Hard economic times have not put’ people <off buying their. Easter eggs. Christchurch < retailers said .'yesterday- that the usual range- of chocolate, icing, and marshmallow eggs was Available and selling well. Several shops ' had already sold out of some lines.

Mos# retailers said that '-’buying- had- started earlier this year. One distributor reported a “substantial increase” in the number of eggs arid choco- * late-novelties sold. “Easter is • normally a two-day- thing, just the Wednesday and. Thursday before the Easter weekend, but it has been busy all along,” one retailer said.

Most thought the-; early buying was the result of . shortages last year. People had learned their lesson and were getting in quickly. The prices ranged from 12c for a small caramelfilled egg to $5.75 for a chocolate egg and basket, or a gift box of small eggs. Icing eggs cost between

80c and $16.50, depending on the size.

Some big chocolate rabbits filled with goodies were available for $3O. But one distributor said that makers had stopped producing expensive Easter gifts because they had not sold well in previous years.

One retailer said she would not buy expensive Easter eggs because people could not afford them. On a customer’s suggestion, she decided to raffle one, and tickets had sold well.

It seems that people will buy Easter eggs and confectionery, but watch the amount they spend. One supermarket distributor said the sales of packets of seven unwrapped eggs for 89c had been phenomenal. Hotcross buns had also sold "unbelievably well’’ for the last six weeks. Retailers said that the prices of Easter eggs had risen only slightly since last year. Chocolate was still expensive, but there was little buyer-resistance tp the prices.

"Prices are a little bit dearer, but they have not gone up a great deal,” one said.

The most expensive Easter luxuries have become even more expensive this year. While the supermarket bag of seven unwrapped eggs sold at the same price last year, the price of the glossy Easter bunny has increased by $5 to $3O.