Hip hip hooray for those popular Easter candies: It looks like inflation isn’t hopping in to affect the 2025 holiday. American foodies are expected to buy an estimated 73 million pounds of chocolate this Easter, equating to sales of over $2 billion. The figures come from research and data compiled by Cargill Food and Beverage Solutions, per an official press release sent to Tasting Table. If that seems like a lot of chocolate, that’s because it is. As Cargill notes, 73 million pounds is enough to make one billion 1-ounce chocolate eggs, stuff 146 million Easter baskets with a half pound of chocolate each, or (most creatively) to “craft nearly 400 million chocolate bunnies weighing 3-ounces each — enough to line them up end-to-end from New York City to Los Angeles more than eight times.”
These high projected sales figures might come as a surprise in light of rampant inflation. The import tariffs announced by the executive branch on “Liberation Day” have just been placed under a 90-day pause, so foodies’ go-to Easter chocolates will not face price increases in time for the holiday. That’s good news, because in 2023 alone, global chocolate imports fetched sales of $37 billion, according to World’s Top Exports – a 26.2% increase over the past five years, with the U.S. being the number one country for buying imported chocolate in the world (10.9% of all imported chocolate globally, which was roughly $4 billion in 2023). Still, while that 73-million-pound figure is certainly impressive, it’s worth looking at past years’ Easter sales to get the full picture.
Holiday chocolate sales might resist inflation’s sting, but palates are changing
Last year, a study by WalletHub estimated Easter chocolate spending in America at $3.1 billion — which makes 2025’s estimated $2 billion (while still massive) demonstrative of an enormous drop. Perhaps American consumers’ discretionary spending budgets are feeling the strain of relentless grocery and housing inflation, import tariffs notwithstanding. The price of romance was also higher in 2025 due to chocolate inflation. And, if you’re wondering, there’s a reason why egg price decreases haven’t hit your grocery store yet – and that’s chicken eggs, not chocolate eggs. The same 2024 WalletHub study found “average Easter spending among people celebrating” to be $177 per person. Meanwhile, about 65% of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck.
Many American households feeling the financial strain may be faced with the decision to sacrifice holiday traditions or fork over money they don’t have. Still, consumer attitudes play a key role in spending as the Easter holiday approaches. According to Cargill’s research, eight out of 10 consumers reported viewing Easter as “a good excuse to indulge in chocolate” — though which chocolates, exactly, might be changing. John Satumba, Cargill’s global vice president of food innovation, told us: “Top flavor trends for Easter chocolate include nostalgic favorites like caramel and peanut butter, as well as more complex, multi-sensory flavor profiles that blend sweet, salty, spicy, and sour elements. This mix caters to a broader range of palates and enhances the overall indulgent experience.”
Piety to classic, the preference for snackable milk chocolate (while still the most popular) could be changing as the holiday approaches, with more foodies craving dimensional interplay of spicy and salty flavors with their sweets, as well as crunchy inclusions like pistachios. “Easter is synonymous with childlike joy, tradition, and renewal, making it a natural moment for indulgence,” Satumba explained. “Unlike more formal holidays, Easter celebrations often revolve around fun, play, and gifting — think chocolate bunnies, eggs, and festive packaging. This gives people permission to embrace whimsy and reward themselves with treats that are both nostalgic and emotionally uplifting.” This year’s Easter might see foodies branching out to other festive snacks with more savory flair. And if non-chocolate Easter treats are more your style, Sour Watermelon Marshmallow Peeps are our favorite.
