April 2025 surprised us all by turning up the sunshine instead of the showers – a rare treat that had Brits promptly dusting off their garden furniture. From eyebrow-raising April Fool’s pranks to the annual Easter chocolate extravaganza, there was plenty to chew over this month. Let’s take a look.
🤡 April Fool’s Day 🤡
April 1st arrived with its usual question: is this product real, or are those pesky marketers at it again? As expected, UK brands were out in force. Gousto kicked things off by introducing edible recipe cards – a bizarre concept that somehow felt perfectly plausible in today’s increasingly zero waste world.
View this post on Instagram
Meanwhile, Popeyes announced a full menu pivot to pickles, including the instantly infamous pickle lemonade. As a committed pickle enjoyer, I’m actually a bit gutted this one wasn’t real.
Credit: Popeyes
And over at Dunkin’, a free-coffee-for-life stunt promised lifetime rewards to anyone legally named “Dunkin’ Donuts”. Fortunately for them, I don’t think anyone actually cashed in on the offer.
While none of these ideas made it past lunchtime, they succeeded in getting people talking, proving once again that when it comes to April Fool’s, it pays to be bold.
🐣 Easter 🍫
This Easter, the UK committed wholeheartedly to its favourite seasonal pastime: inhaling chocolate in concerning quantities. As ever, Cadbury reigned supreme, with Mini Eggs and Creme Eggs hoarding the spotlight and 63% of Easter confectionery sales in convenience stores[1].
In the supermarket world, Aldi gave its own spin on the “World’s Best Job” trope, advertising for a Chief Easter Egg Tasting Officer. The role went to an eight-year-old girl who beat out hundreds of hopefuls to claim a haul of chocolate in exchange for her highly sought-after feedback – reportedly used to help shape the supermarket’s 2026 Easter range. Her dad called it “a dream come true,” which, to be fair, it is.
Credit: Aldi UK
But the real star of the show was M&S Food, who took Easter indulgence up several notches with the launch of their Dippy Egg-Filled Hot Cross Buns. The limited-edition bake featured a spiced bun stuffed with chocolate ganache and an “egg yolk” fondant centre – tapping into everything consumers are loving right now: playful formats and a healthy dose of seasonal silliness.
Credit: Marks & Spencer
Not content with just reinventing the humble bun, M&S also delivered on the luxury egg front, offering an eye-popping range of hand-decorated showstoppers, golden drizzle finishes, and packaging so premium it felt a shame to recycle. With nearly half of UK shoppers choosing premium eggs this year and Easter spending expected to hit £2.3 billion[2], it’s clear that novelty, indulgence and a touch of theatrical flair are still top of the wishlist when it comes to seasonal treats.
Credit: Marks & Spencer
Looking for ways to make your brand stand out? Drop us a line at hello@hatch.group to see how we can help.
[1] https://www.conveniencestore.co.uk/news/established-players-drive-easter-confectionery-sales-over-npd/703784.article
[2] https://www.talkingretail.com/news/industry-news/shoppers-shell-out-an-estimated-2-3bn-on-easter-spending-22-04-2025/
