Easter chocolates already hopping into Canadian stores, months before holiday

As many people head into January hoping to detox from all the Christmas chocolate, some may be shocked to see holiday treats are still on the shelves — but in the form of the Easter bunny.

Easter Sunday falls on April 1, but at the end of December, some stores were already stocking up on Easter treats.

Many Twitter users are calling it the “Easter creep,” a play on the more familiar term, “Christmas creep,” which is when retailers bring out the Christmas-themed treats and decorations too early.

WATCH: Calls to stop the ‘Christmas creep’

On Wednesday, Cadbury even launched an Easter contest in the United Kingdom and said it was making a white chocolate version of its popular creme egg — and offering cash prizes for those who find them.

The company says it will make a small batch of between 350 and 400 white eggs until Easter Sunday.

Bruce Winder, co-founder and partner at Retail Advisors Network,  said although it may seem ridiculous, sales are slow this time of year and retailers are looking to sell products.

“Retailers always try and expand the selling seasons of major holidays as they want to get early sales,” he said. “They also want people to start thinking about Easter, so when it’s time to buy they will think of them.”

“Some people may think it’s a little odd and is pushing it,” Winder said. “But a vast majority of people will not care.”

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Global News reached out to Loblaw, which owns one of the Real Canadian Superstores with the Easter candy, but did not hear back at the time of publication.

After the early Easter chocolate release, some Twitter users in Canada and Britain voiced their displeasure.

Skipping Valentine’s Day?

The Easter candy may be out in some stores, but what about Valentine’s Day?

Winder said it seems odd that some retailers would not sell Valentine’s Day merchandise first, but he said it may be because the heartfelt holiday is not as big a seller.

READ MORE: Valentine’s Day in Canada by the numbers

“It’s a holiday that is more about impulses and last-minute purchase,” he said.

According to the National Retail Federation, consumer spending on Easter in the U.S. did outweigh Valentine’s Day but only by a little bit (Easter was around $18.4 billion and Valentine’s Day brought in $18.2 billion).