He was giving out the huge eggs in Good Easter, Essex, after research of 2,000 adults revealed Brits are irritated by ‘chocflation’ – where Easter eggs have shrunk in size yet cost more than ever.
According to the poll commissioned by SMARTY Mobile 85 per cent believe shrinkflation has affected the size of the chocolate treats – with 68 per cent bothered by the change.
Half have bought an egg for a loved one – only for the recipient to be underwhelmed by the size of the egg housed inside the box.
Pete, speaking in partnership with the SIM only provider which avoids the annual price hikes commonly seen by other brands in April, said: “As the research shows, chocolate easter eggs have been shrinking whilst prices have been increasing, so today we wanted to do our bit to give back to the British public.
“Did I need to be dressed as an Easter bunny to do this? No. But I am very happy to put a smile on people’s faces this Easter, who doesn’t want a free chocolate egg?!”
The study also found 85 per cent were irked by how brands ‘hide’ the size of an egg with their packaging, with 71 per cent feeling shortchanged by its size.
Nearly nine in 10 (87 per cent) estimate eggs are generally smaller than they were only five years ago – and as a result, 24 per cent are frequently checking the weight of their potential purchase.
While 51 per cent believe the chocolate is thinner than it used to be. Yet, Brits are willing to spend an average of £5.70 on the average branded egg. However, 73 per cent haven’t bothered buying an Easter egg because they simply thought it was too small for the price. As a result, 62 per cent have bought another confectionery product entirely because they felt it offered better value than the traditional offerings. But 79 per cent would be more likely to buy an egg if a brand made a point of making them bigger, to the size they were in the past.
Beyond chocolate, those polled via OnePoll, were also irritated by rising energy and water bills – as well as council tax and mobile phone contracts.
Sayed Hajamaideen, Head of Brand & Marketing at SMARTY Mobile which is offering 80GB for £10, which is double the data of its standard £10 plan, said:
"Year after year, customers are hit with hidden price increases on everyday purchases, from household bills to even Easter eggs.
"At SMARTY, we believe life shouldn’t come with sneaky charges. That’s why we keep things simple—no unexpected price hikes, just great value.
“And to prove it, we’re giving out Easter eggs the way they should be: generous in size, because the only surprise at Easter should be the extra treats found in your egg.”