Easter eggs are a very impulsive category and promotions are important, as four in 10 say deal hunting is their strategy. That is significantly above the average across grocery. 

This focus on price means shoppers have relatively low brand loyalty. 

To be successful in Easter eggs, you need to be highly visible in store to capture the impulse purchase. This includes getting into high-traffic areas, probably in more than one location. 

It is also important to start early. Don't put all your effort into the final week, only to see other brands or retailers stealing earlier impulse purchases. Communicate the shopper benefits of an earlier purchase - getting Easter sorted or promoting an early bird offer to appeal to the 'fear of missing out'.

Finally, it's vital to get your promotions right. Most shoppers seek more than one egg, so multibuys will work well if strategy allows. 

However, it's advisable to leave the shopper some flexibility in a multibuy, with lots of brands to choose from. A sharp eye on the competition is particularly important as you set and, if necessary, sharpen promotions.

The competition isn't necessarily just from the traditional supermarkets. Keep an eye on Home Bargains, B&M and Poundland, who are putting plenty of effort into their Easter offerings. This could prove ever-more important as prices rise.

Jeremy Garlick, partner, Insight Traction

Britain shelled out an extra £24.5m on Easter eggs and other types of spring confectionery last year, a year-on-year increase in take-home sales of 7.4% on volumes up 8.7% [Kantar Worldpanel 16 w/e 22 April 2018]. 

That's no mean feat, given that Easter fell two weeks earlier in 2018 compared with the previous year. This was chiefly driven by two key dynamics, says Kantar analyst Dominic Newlyn: a 12% increase in sales on promotion and a greater emphasis on larger shell eggs. 

"Growth was driven by higher trip spend as shoppers made fewer visits but spent more each time," he explains. "Increased basket value was driven by shoppers picking up more packs, encouraged by multibuy offers, and a switch to more expensive formats." 

Unusually, this growth was driven by just three retailers - Tesco, the Co-op and Waitrose - while all others, including the discounters, saw a decline in the value of take-home sales. 

"Tesco consolidated its position at the top," continues Newlyn. "The retailer's focus on promotions on large and giant eggs in the latter half of the season was significant. This included a 'buy two get two free' deal which overall proved incremental, growing the category and not just drawing spend away from competitors."