‘Rising’ calorie count of Easter eggs top concern

Most people associate Easter with eating too much chocolate, not with the Easter Rising centenary commemoration.

People of all ages will chomp their way through 17.7m Easter eggs this weekend — about eight eggs per household.

However, Repak research reveals it is the ‘rising’ calorie count that is uppermost on people’s minds.

When asked what event, or activity, best summed up the Easter weekend in Ireland, over half said it was eating way too much chocolate, and not the Easter Rising commemorations.

Consumers will spend €38.5m this Easter — 47% of all eggs are bought during Easter week.

Three-out-of-five people will spend up to €30 on Easter eggs, and the total calories in 17.7m eggs could fuel one runner to complete 4.2m marathons.

Three-out-of-four people have admitted eating someone else’s Easter egg — most blame a lack of self-control.

Repak also found that most people (67%) don’t bother with Lent anymore, and, tomorrow, on Good Friday, 45% will be drinking alcohol and eating meat.

Over Easter, households are expected to generate 19,650 tonnes of packaging, and Repak wants people to recycle as much as possible. Repak chief executive, Seamus Clancy, said a 71% packaging-recycling rate was achieved last year.