In the Shadow of Price Margin Caps: Easter Shopping in Hungary, 2025

Easter as the springboard for the retail season

Beyond its festive role, Easter marks the start of the spring-summer retail season. This is when new price levels for early seasonal produce are set, and spring items enter store assortments. However, this year’s kickoff was less than ideal. Due to cold weather and import issues, items like asparagus, Jerusalem artichoke, wild garlic, and even strawberries were scarce and more expensive than usual. Tomatoes, too, opened the season well above last year’s prices.

Chocolate: rich in flavor and price

The global surge in cocoa prices made a significant impact on Easter chocolate figures. Branded chocolate bunnies and eggs cost between 11,000–13,000 HUF per kilogram in hypermarkets like Auchan, Spar, and Tesco, up from around 10,000 HUF last year. Individual items range from 300 to 2,000 HUF, depending on brand and cocoa content.

Discount retailers Aldi and Lidl continued to focus on private-label products, offering them at 6,000–9,000 HUF per kilogram, with budget-friendly options also available. However, price differences across chains are marginal, making it hard for shoppers to identify a clearly “smarter” choice.

Eggs, greens, and peppers – a mixed basket

Egg prices remained stable, ranging from 79 to 120 HUF per piece, roughly in line with 2024 levels. Early spring vegetables like green onions and radishes rose 5–10%, while tomatoes and bell peppers saw significant increases:

• Tomatoes: 895–4600 HUF/kg

• Bell peppers: Starting at 1300–1800 HUF/kg

These prices match or exceed last year’s peak levels, leaving fewer budget options for shoppers.

Smoked meats: mostly stable, with minor increases

As usual, smoked meats were widely available. Premium cuts like ham and pork shoulder sold for around 4,000 HUF/kg, just like last year. The cheapest smoked or cured pork shoulder (a key promotional item) was priced as follows:

• Aldi, Lidl: from 1700 HUF/kg

• Tesco: from 1999 HUF/kg

• Auchan: from 2390 HUF/kg

• Spar: from 2300 HUF/kg

While smoked pork knuckle prices rose over 10%, retailers still offered special discounts on selected items.

Kinders and nostalgia

Kinder Surprise eggs, once a staple, are no longer a guaranteed find. Tesco’s online store listed Kinder Joy instead. Aldi and Lidl offered the product at 275 HUF (up from 262 HUF last year), with a promotional discount of over 30% – though it’s still 4.5% more expensive than in 2024.

Final verdict: savings possible, but not guaranteed

The price margin cap clearly had an effect, driving down the price of basic goods. With a combination of private-label products, promotional deals, and strategic shopping, families can keep Easter expenses under control. Still, premium seasonal goods and luxury chocolates are notably more expensive, requiring extra attention.

Retailers remain optimistic: this Easter’s turnover is expected to surpass last year’s, although consumers will certainly feel at the checkout counter that in 2025, Easter shopping has a different price rhythm.