Seasonal

Updated 18 March 2026

Easter grocery prices in Australia

Easter chocolate, hot cross buns, and lamb prices in Australia. When to buy, where to save, and what the price data shows.

Hot cross buns: the January to Easter timeline

Hot cross buns hit shelves in January at full price: $4-6 per 6-pack. February is when to buy them. The novelty has worn off, supermarkets are competing, and ALDI consistently undercuts everyone else at $3.49-3.99.

March is when the real specials land. Supermarkets stack discounts 2-3 weeks before Easter, moving volume. By Easter week itself, they're often half price at Coles and Woolworths to clear stock before the date changes.

Pro tip: freeze them. A 6-pack from a March special lasts 3 months in the freezer. Buy multiple packs when they're cheapest and eat them through June.

Easter chocolate: timing matters more than you think

Easter eggs and chocolate bunny prices vary wildly by timing.

• Cadbury eggs: $5-10
• Lindt bunnies: $6-12
• ALDI own-brand: $3-5

The cheapest time is immediately after Easter (Tuesday onwards): 50-75 per cent off. If you can wait, that's where the real saving lives. Christmas-style chocolate lasts months, and Easter doesn't come for another 52 weeks.

If you're shopping before Easter, the sweet spot is 2-3 weeks out. That's when multibuy specials start. Two weeks before Easter, you'll see "Buy 2, get $2 off" or similar. It's not 50 per cent off, but it's solid: around 15-20 per cent cheaper.

ALDI's Easter range arrives early March and is significantly cheaper on chocolate, hot cross buns, and seasonal treats. Quality is comparable to the major brands.

Lamb: plan 3 weeks ahead

Lamb prices jump hard in the week before Easter. A leg of lamb normally costs $12-18 per kilogram. In Easter week, expect $2-4 per kilogram extra due to demand.

Buy and freeze 3 weeks before Easter. You'll lock in normal prices and have the meat ready when you need it. A leg of lamb for 8 people (3-4 kg) costs $36-72 at normal prices. In Easter week, the same cut costs $42-88. That's a $6-16 difference for planning ahead.

Build an Easter lunch for 8: the budget

Here's what a roast Easter lunch actually costs if you shop smart:

• Roast lamb leg (3-4 kg): $25-35
• Roast vegetables (potatoes, carrots, parsnips): $8-12
• Salad (greens, tomatoes, cucumber): $5-8
• Hot cross buns (bought in February or March): $4
• Easter eggs for the table (ALDI or post-Easter clearance): $10-15

Total: $52-74. That's under $10 per person for a proper Easter meal. If you'd eaten out, you'd triple that.

Post-Easter: the 50-75 per cent chocolate clearance

The Tuesday after Easter, chocolate prices collapse. Supermarkets need shelf space for other seasonal products, so they mark everything down. Cooking chocolate, bunnies, eggs, chocolate blocks: all of it gets slashed.

If you have freezer space, this is when you stock up. Buy enough to cover gifts and treats through winter. A single post-Easter shopping trip can pay for itself by August.

Why ALDI wins on Easter groceries

ALDI's Easter range is cheaper across the board: hot cross buns, chocolate, treats, and seasonal produce all undercut Woolworths and Coles by 20-30 per cent. The range is smaller (fewer options), but the overlap covers the big categories.

ALDI also doesn't wait for Easter week to discount. They run promotions earlier and more aggressively, so you don't have to choose between full price in February or clearance in April.