With Easter fast approaching, Packaging Europe takes a look at the packaging landscape this holiday season, from recycled and recyclable formats to creative campaigns; and weighs up the challenges, including high prices and increased waste.
Wider trends in sustainability-minded packaging design have carried over into Easter exclusives. For instance, Hotel Chocolat has set its sights on visual appeal and end-of-life recyclability with a cacao pod-inspired shell for its Extra-Thick Easter Eggs.
The outer pack is reportedly made from paper pulp, while real cacao bean husks have been integrated into the sleeve and menu paper. Together, these components are designed to be displayed – not hidden, the company quips, referring to the seasonal egg hunt tradition – and then recycled in the paper waste stream.
Other brands have taken a more understated approach. Cox & Co has developed triple egg boxes for its Bee Pollen & Honey and Miso & Caramel Easter Egg variants; the outer packaging – reported to be ethically sourced and completely recyclable – features egg-shaped cutouts to display two foil-wrapped eggs on either end of the box.
Furthermore, its Aleppo Chilli & Cherry egg is now sold in a paper-based pouch with a built-in handle. “Made without any single-use plastics!” the product listing claims; “Our eggs come in entirely recyclable and compostable packaging.”
Cadbury has taken a similar approach by introducing a recyclable cardboard handle for its Special Gesture Easter Egg box, replacing the original ribbon.
This development comes as Mondelēz International and Amcor integrate 65% recycled plastic into the brand’s Mini Eggs packets; the wrappers for its small and large Easter Cadbury tablets also contain 80% certified recycled plastic as of this year.
These flexible formats utilize Amcor’s AmFiniti Recycled Content, in which post-consumer plastic waste is converted into new packaging. The undertaking is expected to source approximately 134 tonnes of PCR for use in Cadbury’s Easter packaging – the equivalent of approximately 70 million bags of Mini Eggs per year.
Developments like these seek to address the uptick in packaging waste that often accompanies food-based holiday traditions. According to a survey by DS Smith, one in four consumers (26%) is dissatisfied with the amount of waste generated at Easter, and over one in five (22%) select Easter eggs based on the recyclability of their packaging.
Even so, 34% have expressed confusion as to which components are recyclable in practice. While 89% of respondents told DS Smith that they recycle the cardboard outer box, 36% throw the foil in the general waste, and 17% fail to recycle plastic boxes.
Other developments have put a creative spin on Easter traditions. Creative agency VCCP has worked alongside Cadbury to develop newsprint that can be cut out and applied to boxes of Easter chocolate – disguising them as everyday objects, from a box of tea bags to a stack of books, and helping to conceal them during Easter egg hunts.
Lindt’s iconic Gold Bunny – a hollow, rabbit-shaped chocolate wrapped in gold foil and tied with a red ribbon and bell – also features in the Gold Bunny Hide & Seek mixed-reality experience. Consumers can visit the website or scan an in-store QR code to participate in a virtual hunt, locating six Gold Bunnies to unlock a coupon code and save $10 on any purchase totalling $50 or more.
Participants are also invited to take a photo with their real-life Gold Bunny and share it on social media for a chance to win a year’s supply of Lindt chocolate.
Meanwhile, Aldi UK has launched its limited-edition Easter Egg Lock Box as a playful response to the statistic that 52% of parents eat their children’s Easter eggs. The display case features a combination lock to restrict access to the chocolates inside, with the on-pack message ‘to be unlocked on Easter Sunday’ contributing to the joke.
On a more serious note, the concept addresses price concerns amidst global uncertainty. Aldi suggests that replacing eaten treats could cost UK consumers an extra £436 million (€501,487,200) annually; and this year, Australian consumer advocacy group Choice argues that shoppers could be paying almost 73% more per 100g of hollow Easter egg, even when some products have downsized.
A spokesperson for Mondelēz International told The Guardian that “significantly higher” cocoa costs have played a role, and with ongoing geopolitical tensions impacting the prices of raw materials, energy, and transportation on the whole, certain packaging types could have an additional impact.
Perhaps a partial solution can be found in reusable formats, such as the new gift tin from Purdys Chocolatier, or even a traditional wicker basket. Durable keepsakes like these can be stored and refilled in future celebrations – potentially with home-made treats, if consumers are looking to avoid excess packaging and reduce expenses.
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