Do you still feast on chocolate over the Easter weekend or have you, like millions of other Brits ditched the traditional Easter Egg for something for more egg-stravagant?

New research suggests the humble chocolate Easter egg may be on the way out, with Brits spending big on alternative gifts and cash this year – with 80 per cent planning to buy presents for loved ones.

The ecommerce marketing platform Omnisend has looked at why Easter eggs are falling out of favour – as Brits increasingly turn to cash, curated gifts, and high-ticket presents instead.

A survey of 1,000 UK adults found that more than one in three (34 per cent ) say children in their family would now prefer cash over chocolate. And while tradition may dictate foil-wrapped eggs, the reality is that a quarter of gift-givers (26%) are choosing something else entirely – from toys and beauty products to experiences and homeware.

Four-fifths of Brits (80 per cent ) say they plan to buy gifts for friends and family this Easter, highlighting the growing importance of the season as a consumer shopping event. Gifting is going beyond chocolate, with popular items including self-care sets, Lego kits, and Easter-themed beauty gift sets from the likes of Rituals – neatly packaged, sugar-free and Instagram-friendly.

As inflation has ramped up supermarket prices in recent years, 31 per cent of respondents believe Easter eggs have become too expensive – and with good reason. The premium end of the market has gone stratospheric, with Bettys of Harrogate selling its Grande Easter Egg for £395 – a 5.4kg showpiece containing 31,000 calories. Daylesford’s £80 Hive Egg, shaped like a golden honeycomb, adds to the growing list of artisan, hand-crafted Easter items now commanding luxury price tags.

These chocolate creations are no longer just treats – they’ve become status symbols, packaged like designer goods and used to signal taste or extravagance. But many feel the cost isn’t worth it, especially when more practical gifts can offer better value and shelf life.

This changing mindset is reflected in broader spending behaviour online and in-store. 18 per cent are budgeting £21-£30 for Easter gifts, 15 per cent are planning to spend £41-£50, and a surprising 3 per cent say they’ll spend over £500 – the equivalent of 1.6 million British people.

Younger adults are leading the shift, with those aged 25–34 the most likely to agree that Easter eggs are outdated and that their children would prefer money. Millennials are the most generous generation overall, spending more than any other age group.

And the meaning of Easter is changing too: 27 per cent of Brits now say they see it as more of a commercial event than a religious one, while 14 per cent describe Easter eggs as “pointless and old-fashioned”. Add in the 13 per cent who actively avoid sugary gifts, and it’s clear that this seasonal shopping window is ripe for reinvention by retailers and ecommerce sites.

Greg Zakowicz, senior ecommerce expert at Omnisend said: “This year’s Easter trends are revealing a real shift in gift-giving. Younger adults – especially Millennials and Gen Z – are redefining Easter, moving away from chocolate and leaning into more practical gifts like toys, cash, and even curated experiences. It’s a mindset change that’s happening across all income levels, not just among luxury shoppers.

"We’re also seeing strong sentiment around cost and value. People feel that traditional eggs don’t offer much bang for their buck. Retailers have to look at this shift and identify products that tap into what people really want, especially as many Brits are now too health-conscious to indulge in chocolate.

“Ecommerce sites in particular are at the forefront of this change, as they are well-placed to offer as much variety as possible. Popular marketplaces such as Amazon and Etsy curate hand-crafted Easter gifts which offer something a little more personalised and meaningful.”