According to supermarkets, it's nothing out of the ordinary.
Easter is still three and a half months away- on April 9 - but supermarkets in the United Kingdom have already begun selling Easter eggs. Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, and Waitrose have all launched Easter confectionary ranges, prompting social media posts of surprise, as per a report in Sky News. The sellers cite the reason as the desire of customers to buy ahead of time. While some customers were furious, other customers found it amusing and posted images on social media.
Many took to Twitter to express their displeasure as well. One person tweeted, "t's still definitely December and well within the #12DaysOfChristmas but Tesco Ealing Broadway shelves full of Easter eggs and bunnies as far as the eye can see?!"
Another user said, "Frighteningly, I was joking with my brother-in-law about this on Boxing Day, I asked him when deliveries of Easter eggs were going to start into supermarkets. You've answered my question. Did we skip Valentine's Day or have I missed it already?'
According to supermarkets, it's nothing out of the ordinary. When asked why and exactly when Easter egg sales started, if there had been any complaints and how sales were doing, Sainsbury's told Sky News, "Each year we stock some seasonal products in advance of the main holiday period. This is because some customers like to buy gifts and longer life items in plenty of time, or treat themselves early."
Tesco agreed, stating that consumers enjoy making advance purchases. A spokesperson told Sky News, "It's a few weeks until customers are able to choose from our full range of Easter products. However, we know some of our customers like to buy their eggs early, so we have started selling a small selection in some of our stores."