Explainer: What is the carbon footprint of your Easter Egg

By Anders Lorenzen

This Sunday, millions of children will be out and about hunting for Easter Eggs.

In the Easter period, it is estimated that over a billion Easter Eggs will be consumed.

As the table later in this article shows, the carbon footprint of Easter eggs varies significantly depending on the type of product you buy.

Breaking down the carbon costs

The key metrics that influence the carbon cost of your Easter Egg can be broken into three areas:

• The type of chocolate
• Packaging
• Production methods

Chocolate type

The darker the chocolate, the better it is for the environment. The less dark chocolate content it includes, the higher its carbon footprint, as it contains more dairy.

Packaging

This has a significant contribution.

The Easter Eggs that rely heavily on excessive use of plastic and non-recyclable materials will also have a high carbon footprint. 

Production methods

Some Easter Egg producers have a high reliance on palm oil, which is known to be linked to deforestation and biodiversity loss.

The average carbon footprint of an Easter Egg

The global average carbon footprint of an Easter Egg has been calculated to be 0.9 kg  Carbon dioxide equivalents (CO₂e). 

This mean value has been derived from a mix of both high- and low-footprint products.

How is it calculated?

It is essential to note that this is based on a rough mean of individual egg footprints, rather than weighted by actual sales.

Disclaimer

An actual average per egg sold globally would likely be significantly higher, because most sold eggs are from high-footprint mainstream brands.

Guidelines for consumers

For busy parents, selecting the most climate and environmentally friendly Easter Eggs while picking options that their children like can be a bit of a jungle.

But following these key markers is a good place to start:

Choose minimal packaging 

Opt for Easter eggs with recyclable or minimal packaging to reduce waste.​

Select dark chocolate 

Dark chocolate typically has a lower carbon footprint due to less dairy content.​

Avoid palm oil 

Selecting products without palm oil can help mitigate the impacts of deforestation.

Support sustainable brands 

Look for companies that prioritise sustainability in their sourcing and production processes.

Ten Easter Eggs with a low carbon footprint

1

Buttermilk Plant-Based Egg

0.56 kg CO₂e

Lowest carbon impact

2

Kinder Surprise Easter Egg

0.34 kg CO₂e

Uses palm oil, but is lightweight

3

Guylian Belgian Egg

0.97 kg CO₂e

Palm oil-free, sustainably sourced

4

Cadbury Twirl Large Egg

~0.90 kg CO₂e

Only 18.8% of the packaging

5

Original Beans Egg

~0.85 kg CO₂e

Climate-positive chocolate brand

6

Tony’s Chocolonely Egg

~0.87 kg CO₂e

Ethically and sustainably sourced

7

Moo Free Vegan Egg

~0.75 kg CO₂e

Dairy-free, eco-conscious packaging

8

Green & Black’s Organic Egg

~0.80 kg CO₂e

Ethically sourced organic ingredients

9

Divine Chocolate Egg

~0.82 kg CO₂e

Fairtrade, low-packaging format

10

Hotel Chocolat Eco Egg

~0.89 kg CO₂e

Uses recyclable, minimal packaging

Ten Easter Eggs with a high carbon footprint

1

Nestlé Easter Egg

1.38 kg CO₂e

Highest overall footprint (uSwitch)

2

Cadbury Easter Egg (General)

1.18 kg CO₂e

High packaging content and dairy usage

3

Thorntons Classic Large Egg

~1.10 kg CO₂e

36.4% packaging by weight

4

Lindt Lindor Egg w/ Truffles

~1.05 kg CO₂e

28.1% packaging

5

Mars Egg & Chocolate Bar

~1.03 kg CO₂e

25.5% packaging

6

Cadbury Crème Giant Egg

~1.02 kg CO₂e

25.1% packaging

7

Cadbury Mini Eggs XL

~1.00 kg CO₂e

24.2% packaging

8

Cadbury Dairy Milk XL Egg

~0.98 kg CO₂e

23.0% packaging

9

Galaxy Indulgent Collection Egg

~0.95 kg CO₂e

22.5% packaging

10

Maltesers Large Teasers Egg

~0.93 kg CO₂e

21.6% packaging

2025 estimated Easter Egg sales and carbon footprints

In 2025, it is estimated that a staggering 1.2 billion Easter Eggs will be sold.

With the estimated average carbon footprint per egg being 0.9 kg CO₂e, approximately 1.08 million tonnes of CO₂e will be emitted.

Comparative analyses

To put all this into context, 0.9 kg CO₂e – the estimated average carbon footprint of one Easter Egg is equivalent to driving 3.7 km in a typical petrol car.

And 1.08 million tonnes of CO₂e, the carbon footprint of the 1.2 billion Easter Eggs estimated to be purchased this year, is equivalent to over 233,000 typical petrol cars driven for a whole year.

Anders Lorenzen is the founding Editor of A greener life, a greener world.

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