Like every year, the egg hunt is open!
This time, however, the famous sweets are likely to cost more, while chickens or chocolate bunnies hidden during the Easter weekend do not escape inflation.
And this, despite the efforts of manufacturers to limit price increases.
For craftsmen and manufacturers, production costs have been increasing for two years, throughout the chain.
Professionals are suffering from the soaring "
price of raw materials, led by sugar and then cocoa
", says Gilles Rouvière, secretary general of the Syndicat du chocolat.
Behind, other charges also explode, such as "
packaging, the cost of transport and, like everyone else, energy
", he adds.
The increase could have been even more significant, the prices of raw materials for Easter being negotiated as early as December.
At that time, "
the prices of all consumer goods increased by more than 12%, while the category of Easter chocolates only increased by a little over 5%
", indicates the secretary general.
According to him, chocolate makers have therefore cut their margins and reduced certain costs to avoid making the bill soar for the consumer.
"
I increase the prices a little, but not as much as the increase in the cost of raw materials
", confirms Hyunsoo Ahn, the manager of
Chocolat Illèné
in the 18th arrondissement, in Paris.
To cut costs, the shop has reduced its energy bills: "
I keep the quality of the chocolate but also that of the packaging, because it's important,
" she underlines.
It is therefore out of the question to touch the product.
"It
's getting worse and worse,
" laments the chocolate maker.
We still exist, but I don't know how long we can continue like this
,” she sighs.
The chocolatier is also annoyed by the arrival of competing shops claiming to be craftsmen: "
It's not true, there is a lot of outsourcing
,” she says.
Read alsoEaster: 8 misconceptions about chocolate
"Artisanal chocolate is made by hand, industrialists are on the chain"
On the occasion of Easter, households put on the table a chocolate budget of 20 euros, indicates the chocolate union.
However, craftsmen also have to face fierce competition from supermarkets.
“
Supermarket products are more accessible,
” explains Gilles Rouvière, who nevertheless underlines the differences between craftsmen and manufacturers.
"
There are also quality products in supermarkets and supermarkets, it's a question of price, budget and expectation in relation to chocolate,
" he explains.
For his part, Hyunsoo Ahn is more affirmative.
"
Artisanal chocolate is made by hand, industrialists are on the chain
", replies the chocolate maker.
The quality of chocolate is different, she assures us: “
Instead of adding oils, we sell 100% cocoa
”.
And indeed, many eggs in industrial chocolates include vegetable fats, such as palm oil, in their ingredients.
A point underlined by a survey of 60 million consumers, published this week: on supermarket shelves, “
the
quality of
small chocolate-praline eggs is
variable
”, she notes.
Oils, in particular, are “
cheaper than cocoa butter
“, Which saves money, explains the magazine.
Sugar always comes first on the list of ingredients, especially for milk chocolate, notes 60 million consumers.
Additives such as lecithin, or powdered whey are also added to chocolates.
Products different from the “
100% cocoa
” offered by artisans, therefore, according to the Open Food Facts database.
Another difference, confectionery must contain at least 25% cocoa, recalls 60 million consumers.
100% cocoa is rarely found in supermarkets, which "
do not negotiate the same ranges of chocolate and have the advantage of producing in large quantities, it's incomparable
", sighs the chocolate maker.
Despite inflation, which is likely to weigh on sales this year, professionals remain confident and optimistic, says Gilles Rouvière.
For his part, Hyunsoo Ahn notes a "
slightly less strong start than in 2022, even if today we have worked better than on the same date last year
".
We are still far from the goose that lays the golden eggs.