// Hotel Chocolat to produce fewer Easter eggs amid the cost-of-living crisis
// The retailer aims to sell out of products rather than have any excess to discount after Easter
Hotel Chocolat will produce fewer Easter eggs this year as it exercises caution amid squeezed consumer spending.
The chocolate retailer told The Telegraph it has opted to “play cautious” this year.
Hotel Chocolat co-founder and chief executive Angus Thirlwell said: “We just don’t know what’s around the corner so part of that cautious approach is that we’re not making bets on as much stock… To a degree, that means that you’re limited in the sales potential that you have, but you’re also backing out the risk.”
Thirlwell said it expected to sell out of Easter eggs rather than having excess stock that would usually be discounted after the holiday.
It’s an approach that it took over Christmas when it achieved its strongest-ever sell-through of full-price seasonal products, with left over Christmas stock in January plummeting 80%.
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The move comes as shoppers struggle to make ends meet amid soaring inflation.
Hotel Chocolat had to increase its own prices last year in the face of higher commodity costs.
Despite the pressure on consumers, Hotel Chocolat has not seen its customers trading down to cheaper confectionery.
Hotel Chocolat’s UK like-for-likes jumped 10% over Christmas, however group sales, which include its international arm, fell 8%.
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