The changes affect some of the UK's most recognisable Easter products.
10:14, Thu, Jan 15, 2026 Updated: 10:19, Thu, Jan 15, 2026
For many families, this means paying more for noticeably less chocolate (Image: Getty)
Shoppers preparing for Easter will notice something different on supermarket shelves, and not in a good way. Several big-name chocolate brands have reduced the size of their Easter eggs, even as their prices continue to rise. For many families, that means paying more for noticeably less chocolate.
Retailers have started stocking their seasonal ranges, and early checks show some eggs are up to 18% smaller than last year. At the same time, shelf prices have risen sharply in some cases. The changes affect some of the UK’s most recognisable Easter products, including popular hollow eggs and gift packs.
Maltesers extra-large Easter egg has dropped from 231g in 2025 to 194g this yea (Image: Tesco)
One of the biggest reductions comes from Maltesers. Its extra-large Easter egg has dropped from 231g in 2025 to 194g this year, a fall of 16%.
Last year the larger egg was priced at £6 in Tesco. The smaller 2026 version is now £7. By weight, that is a 38.9% increase.
Last year the egg included three 37g packets of Maltesers. This year, only two remain.
Maltesers’ Teasers large egg has also been reduced, falling from 190g to 155g, a cut of 18%.
Despite the drop, the price has moved from £4 to £4.50, which works out as a 38% increase per 100g, The Grocer reports.
Cadbury has made similar changes. Its extra-large Twirl egg, which previously included two full-size Twirl bars, now contains two small individually wrapped Twirl fingers.
Cadbury's extra-large Twirl egg is down from 241g to 218g (Image: Cadbury)
The weight is down from 241g to 218g, around 9.5%. Tesco’s price has risen too, from £6 to £7, a 16.7% increase, while the cost per 100g is up 28.9%.
Other Cadbury lines have shrunk as well. Mini Eggs family packs are now 256g instead of 270g, and the Wispa large egg has reduced slightly from 182.5g to 177g while rising in price from £4 to £4.50.
Lindt’s Gold Bunnies remain the same size, but prices have increased. The 200g version is now £7, up from £5.50, while the 100g bunny has gone from £3.50 to £4.25.
Manufacturers say the changes are the result of rising production costs. A spokeswoman for Mars Wrigley UKI said: “We will always absorb pricing pressures where we can, but rising manufacturing costs, driven in part by well-documented increases in the cost of cocoa, have meant that we’ve had to adjust some of our product sizes.
“It’s not a decision we take lightly, but it ensures families can still enjoy their favourite Easter products without compromising on quality or taste. All product pricing is at the discretion of the retailer.”
Lindt’s Gold Bunnies remain the same size, but prices have increased (Image: Lindt)
A spokesman for Mondelez, which owns Cadbury, said: “Any changes to our product sizes is a last resort for our business.
“However, as a food producer, we are continuing to experience significantly higher input costs across our supply chain, with ingredients such as cocoa and dairy, which are widely used in our products, costing far more than they have done previously.
“Meanwhile, other costs, like energy and transport, also remain high. This means that our products continue to be much more expensive to make and while we have absorbed these costs where possible, we still face considerable challenges.
“As a result of this difficult environment, we have had to make the decision to slightly reduce the weight across some of our range so that we can continue to provide consumers with the brands they love, without compromising on the great taste and quality they expect. Please note retailers are free to set their own prices.”
Andrew Opie, the director of food & sustainability at the British Retail Consortium, told The Grocer that the changes to size and pricing were “largely determined by the brands themselves, reflecting the costs of production they face”.
He added: “Retailers are doing everything they can to offer great value to their customers despite rising costs in the food supply chain.”
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He said chocolate makers had been “hard hit by high global cocoa prices”, though wholesale costs were now starting to ease as harvests improved in key producing regions.
The Express has reached out to Lindt and Tesco for a comment.