Shoppers have complained after seeing Easter eggs already out on supermarket shelves.
Easter Sunday is four months away, falling on 20 April next year, but chocolate eggs and hot cross buns have already been spotted for sale in shops including Morrisons, Tesco and Asda.
Gary Evans, 66, from Margate, shared a picture of Creme Eggs on display at his local Morrisons on Boxing Day.
“I just think it’s crazy that everything is so superficial and meaninglessly commercial… [there’s] something quite frantic about it,” he said.
Gary Evans shared a photo of Easter chocolates in Morrisons. Pic: PA
Another bemused shopper, Joseph Robinson, saw themed Kit-Kat and Kinder Surprise products at his local Morrisons in Stoke-on-Trent on Friday evening.
“It’s funny as they’ve not even managed to shift the Christmas chocolates off the shelves yet and they’re already stocking for Easter,” the 35-year-old admin support worker said.
“I wish that supermarkets weren’t so blatantly consumerist-driven and would actually allow customers and staff a time to decompress during the Christmas period.”
A social media user, @Jingle1991, shared an image of Malteser Bunnies in Sainsbury’s on Christmas Eve and pointed out: “Jesus hasn’t even been born yet.”
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Others were less critical of the early Easter confectionary.
Mike Chalmers, a devout Christian from Chippenham, Wiltshire, said: “Christmas and Easter are the two centrepoints of the Christian good news story so it’s no bad thing to see the connections.
“It’s about more than shapes of chocolate though!”
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Marketing consultant Andrew Wallis, 54, admitted he was surprised to see Easter eggs in the Co-op in Kilgetty, Pembrokeshire, but added it also illustrates “forward-thinking” from big businesses.
“It made me reflect on how big brands are always thinking ahead and planning early,” he said.
“My message to retailers would be: while planning ahead is important, it’s also essential to be mindful of consumer sentiment.
“Some might feel it’s too early for seasonal products like this but others might see it as a sign of forward-thinking. Striking the right balance is key to keeping customers happy.”