<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Amid a cost-of-living crisis, Australians are still predicted to spend big this Easter.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Shoppers are expected to part with $4.8 billion on food, travel and entertainment over the long weekend.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Almost half of Australians plan to indulge in Easter chocolate, spending about $68 each or a national total of more than $700 million on confectionery alone, according to Australian Retailers Association and Roy Morgan research.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/search-under-way-for-swimmer-swept-away-at-little-bay-beach-in-sydney-new-south-wales-easter-long-weekend/b488d73e-bd86-4561-afd3-9e94ca37397e" rel="" target="" title="Two dead, one missing as large swell batters NSW coast"><strong><span>Two dead, one missing as large swell batters NSW coast</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Easter eggs and bunnies have not been budget friendly after cocoa prices recently reached an all-time high, although the cost has dipped slightly in recent months.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Fresh fish, scallops, oysters and salmon will also be on the menu for some households.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>About 36 per cent of grocery buyers said they have regularly bought seafood in the previous four weeks but over Easter that jumps to 42 per cent or an extra 500,000 buyers.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/australians-predicted-to-spend-billions-of-dollars-on-food-travel-and-entertainment-over-easter-long-weekend/f2499758-e7e3-4166-8b3d-b82b0b61acf0" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australians with lamb on their shopping lists can expect to pay more with prices up 20 per cent since last year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Demand for last-minute chocolate eggs will be high this weekend, with Orthodox Easter falling on the same Sunday this year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/how-to-follow-9news-digital/29855bb1-ad3d-4c38-bc25-3cb52af1216f" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><em><span>DOWNLOAD THE 9NEWS APP</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>: Stay across all the latest in breaking news, sport, politics and the weather via our news app and get notifications sent straight to your smartphone. Available on the</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Apple App Store</span></em></strong></a><span> </span><strong><em><span>and</span></em></strong><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" target="_blank"><strong><em><span>Google Play</span></em></strong></a><strong><em><span>.</span></em></strong></div></div>