At the centre of it all is cocoa.<\/p>\n
Economists say poor growing conditions in key West African regions (where much of the world\u2019s cocoa is sourced) have sent global prices soaring.<\/p>\n
Westpac economist Satish Ranchhod says a mix of extreme weather has hit supply hard.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe past couple of years we\u2019ve had some really challenging growing conditions\u2026 unusually high temperatures and heavy rains\u2026 and it\u2019s pushed up global prices,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Those pressures are being compounded by global instability, which is adding further strain to already stretched supply chains and ultimately pushing up prices for consumers in New Zealand.<\/p>\n
For manufacturers like Whittaker\u2019s, who is celebrating 130 years of operation in New Zealand, the impact is significant.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe price of cocoa has more than tripled,\u201d said Holly Whittaker.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we are committed to producing world-class quality chocolate\u2026 that is the price to pay for a premium product.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"Holly](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/holly-whittaker-of-whittakers-ICNJSO6KOFBS7CLX5OXJR25WVE.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Holly Whittaker of Whittaker’s (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n
More expensive and less for your money<\/p>\n
It\u2019s not just how much chocolate costs – it\u2019s what you get for it.<\/p>\n
Seasonal items like Easter eggs and chocolate bunnies often come at a premium, with less chocolate by weight compared to standard blocks.<\/p>\n
Ranchhod says when broken down, Easter eggs can cost roughly twice as much per unit as a regular block of chocolate.<\/p>\n
And when comparing prices across the Tasman, the difference becomes even clearer.<\/p>\n
In many cases, identical or similar Easter products are cheaper in Australia.<\/p>\n
Figures provided to 1News by Westpac, based on a comparison of major supermarket prices, show Kiwis are paying noticeably more for common Easter items, even after converting Australian prices into New Zealand dollars.<\/p>\n
For example:<\/p>\n
A packet of mini eggs costs around $7 in New Zealand, compared to about $5.39 in AustraliaA standard chocolate bunny sits at roughly $9 here, versus $5.99 across the TasmanEven hot cross buns are slightly cheaper in Australia – $5.27 compared to $6 in New Zealand<\/p>\n
The comparison looks at similar branded or equivalent products sold at major retailers in both countries, highlighting a consistent price gap rather than a one-off difference.<\/p>\n
Economists say factors like transport costs, market size, and competition all play a role – but for shoppers, the result is simple: paying more for the same seasonal treats.<\/p>\n
For some shoppers, those rising costs are already changing habits.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s definitely a luxury now,\u201d one shopper told 1News.<\/p>\n
Others say they\u2019re cutting back altogether, with some families skipping Easter treats this year.<\/p>\n
![\"Westpac](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/westpac-economist-satish-ranchhod-QAHEDAWULZFWNNCK7UKBDIJTVI.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
Westpac economist Satish Ranchhod (Source: 1News)<\/p>\n
Ranchhod says that shift reflects broader pressure on household budgets.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s forcing households to trade away from discretionary nice-to-have items like chocolate to focus more on their essentials,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
No shrinkflation but higher prices<\/p>\n
While some global brands have reduced product sizes to offset rising costs, Whittaker\u2019s says it is holding firm.<\/p>\n
\u201cShrinkflation is not part of our company values and won\u2019t be,\u201d Whittaker said.<\/p>\n
The company said it will continue producing its standard 250g blocks – even if prices increase.<\/p>\n
This year, Whittaker\u2019s marks 130 years – a milestone for one of New Zealand\u2019s most recognisable homegrown brands.<\/p>\n
To mark the occasion, the company has even created a chocolate-themed hotel room experience for fans – a nod to just how deeply embedded the brand is in Kiwi culture.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Chocolate has long been a staple for Kiwi households but this Easter, that sweet treat will cost a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":357963,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[138,20105,219,144,111,139,69],"class_list":{"0":"post-357962","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-consumer-affairs","10":"tag-economy","11":"tag-food-drink","12":"tag-new-zealand","13":"tag-newzealand","14":"tag-nz"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357962","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=357962"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/357962\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/357963"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=357962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=357962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=357962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}