• The Easter meal, a symbol of joy and family reunion, carries an increasingly visible economic footprint this year.
Recent data analyzed by the consulting company Frames, based on information provided by the National Institute of Statistics, shows notable increases in prices for key ingredients of the holiday, compared to the similar period in 2025. From cozonac and pască to lamb and eggs, costs have risen significantly, influencing both shopping decisions and the way Romanians approach culinary traditions.
The most dramatic increase is recorded for cocoa powder, a fundamental ingredient in Easter cakes and pastries, which has increased by over 46% in the past year. Chocolate products have followed a similar trajectory, with an increase of 29%, and walnut kernels have become more expensive by more than 17%. Commercially purchased cozonac also reflects these pressures, being about 16% more expensive than last year. These developments are not the result of local speculation, but of deep imbalances in international markets. The world's main cocoa producers in West Africa – Ivory Coast and Ghana – have had harvests severely affected by extreme weather conditions and diseases that have devastated plantations. The global shortage of raw materials has quickly transferred to shelf prices, directly affecting traditional Easter sweets.
In the case of animal products, the situation is equally complex. Eggs and lamb are experiencing increases driven by farmers' high operating costs: more expensive feed, electricity needed for breeding sheds, increasingly stringent European health regulations and repeated episodes of avian flu that have reduced poultry flocks. All these elements add to an already strained supply chain, the effects of which are directly felt in final prices.
A new wave of price increases is expected in the immediate future.
Frames analysts point out that the current data only captures the situation in February. From April 1, fuel and gas price increases will generate a new wave of price increases, most likely visible in early May. In this context, core inflation could exceed 10% in April – four times the European average – and remain at double-digit levels for at least three months. The National Bank of Romania adopts a cautious stance, taking into account external shocks and the pressures exerted by the budget deficit on consumer prices.
These economic realities have already changed the behavior of buyers. Romanians are not giving up the traditional meal, but are adapting it to the new financial constraints. There is a clear orientation towards the private label products of retail chains, considered more affordable, as well as a visible reduction in the quantities purchased. Instead of half a lamb carcass, many opt for a small casserole or even a single slice. Promotions are hunted, prices are compared in several stores, and the total volume of Easter sales is estimated to be below that of the previous year.
Although some seasonal products, such as radishes, have seen a slight price drop of around 5,5%, these isolated decreases do not compensate for the massive increases in meat, sweets and eggs. For a family of four, the budget required for a complete Easter meal – including lamb, cozonac, pasca, traditional specialties, drinks and gifts for children – amounts to 1.000–1.500 lei on average. Given that current expenses for maintenance, energy and gas have also increased, this effort is becoming difficult to sustain for most low- and middle-income households.
Easter remains an important holiday for Romanians, with a deep traditional charge, but the current economic context forces a careful reassessment of the way we prepare and enjoy the festive meal. Adaptability and thoughtfulness may become, perhaps, the new essential ingredients of an authentic Easter, which values essence, not abundance.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor-in-Chief of Arta Alba
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