(NewsNation) — When Peter Cottontail hops down the bunny trail this year, he’ll be carrying pricier gifts than ever before.
From chocolate bunnies to jelly beans, the average cost of an Easter basket is now $61.83 — a more than 22% increase from spring 2019.
This is due to the 8.5% inflation rate causing a rise in the cost of raw materials such as the ingredients to make candy, higher gas prices to transport the candy to stores, and supply chain issues compounding the problem.
Most Easter treats, including a 6-ounce chocolate bunny, a 10-pack of Peeps, or a pound of jelly beans, are seeing a $1 increase.
If you’re looking to save, stick to candies such as Kit Kats — their prices have only risen by about a quarter.
According to the National Retail Federation, total Easter spending is expected to be about $20.8 billion.