Easter: bank log-ins down, chocolate sales soar
While thousands rush to top up their Isa and check their finances ahead of the tax year end, it seems most consumers are turning their attention to Easter treats and spending their spare cash on chocolate.
According to research from Nationwide, East Anglia tops the spending on chocolate at £32.32 vs £20.62 UK average (regional table below). Those in the South West spend the least at just £16.33 per head. Londoners and Scots were big spenders on chocolate.
Nationwide says that half as many people checked their finances on mobile phones and the Internet on Easter Sunday 2014 compared to a typical day, according to customer data released by Nationwide Building Society.
On average, around 804,000 people a day logged onto the Internet bank and mobile banking app during 2014. This dropped to just over 430,000 last Easter Sunday - the second lowest figure of the year behind Christmas day.
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The reason for low numbers of people checking their finances is likely to be down to the fact that many people spend time with their family on Easter Sunday. However, with a Nationwide poll showing that one in ten UK households are set to spend in excess of £40 on chocolate ahead of Sunday, many will be far too busy crunching chocolate than numbers.
While the average British household spends £20.62 on Easter eggs, those living in East Anglia spend the most when it comes to eating chocolate at Easter. According to the survey, the region forks out an average of £32.34, double that spent by those in the South-West who spend £16.33. The poll also highlights that more than a quarter (27%) of East Anglian households spend between £50 and £75, compared to a UK average of 6%.
Phil Smith, Nationwide's head of current accounts, said: "The long weekend over Easter, which typically coincides with school holidays, means that many people are making the most of longer days and visiting friends and family. Our figures indicate that people are perhaps just too relaxed to be concerned about checking their finances at Easter – that can wait until Monday. But judging by the amount of money the UK spends on chocolate at Easter, some might do well to check their accounts sooner!"