How to invest in the Easter holidays

By Staci West on 1 April 2026 in Equities

Shoppers are expected to spend billions of pounds celebrating Easter, which this year falls on the first weekend of April. The celebrations are expected to give retailers, chocolate manufacturers, restaurants and food suppliers a financial boost. But which companies will be the biggest winners – and what investment funds should you hold in your portfolio to benefit?

Chocolate

It’s been estimated that up to 90 million Easter eggs are sold each year in the UK, and one of the biggest beneficiaries will be confectionery giant Nestlé. The Swiss-based company, known for Kit Kat, Smarties and Aero, employs around 271,000 people and sells its products in 185 countries. The company is one of the largest holdings in the Guinness Global Equity Income fund*, which is co-managed by Matthew Page and Dr Ian Mortimer. This is a highly concentrated portfolio of around 35 high-quality stocks that have consistently outperformed in their respective sectors.

Supermarkets

It’s a busy time for all the major supermarkets, which are locked in fierce competition with one another to attract customers through the doors. Easter grocery sales reached a staggering £9.2 billion last year**, with prices rising for hot cross buns and various confectionery items.

Tesco is the giant in this sector and is the third-largest holding in the Artemis Income fund*, a flexible, high-conviction portfolio of UK stocks. This is a stalwart portfolio in the UK equity income sector, designed to offer a diversified mix of cash flows from different companies to ensure a sustainable and durable income.

Another fund option is Schroder Income*. In addition to Tesco, it also holds J Sainsbury. This portfolio, a UK equity income fund with an emphasis on absolute return, invests in undervalued companies awaiting a correction.

Then there’s Ocado, the online supermarket and grocery delivery platform. It’s a holding in the Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust***. This trust, which dates back to 1909, typically holds 50 to 100 companies worldwide that have strong growth prospects. Its managers adopt a patient buy-and-hold approach.

Food providers and manufacturers

The huge supermarket chains are not the only beneficiaries. Marks & Spencer, the British retailer and own-brand product provider, is a prime example. The company’s Easter range includes chocolate eggs, cocktail ingredients, hot cross buns and everything needed to make a family roast. The company is a holding in the Artemis UK Select fund*. Its ability to short a stock – meaning profit when the share price falls – sets it apart from many of its peers. The portfolio, which has 40 to 50 holdings, is also managed by two highly experienced managers, Ed Leggett and Ambrose Faulks.

Elsewhere, there are plenty of food providers and ingredient suppliers involved in the Easter supply chain that are popular with fund managers. Cranswick has established itself as one of the UK’s largest food producers, and its shares are held by the Rathbone UK Opportunities fund***. Alexandra Jackson, its lead manager, looks to take advantage of cheap UK valuations and runs a portfolio of 50-60 holdings. She has a bias towards mid-cap names.

Drinks providers

One of the soft drink giants is Coca-Cola, which is traded on the New York Stock Exchange. The company is also behind Sprite, Minute Maid and Fanta, among others. It’s one of the largest holdings in the Murray International Trust*. This is an international portfolio of UK and global equities, along with some bonds. The managers can invest anywhere in the world, across sectors, and focus on maintaining an above-average yield for investors.

How about alcohol? Diageo, the FTSE 100-listed beverage provider, has an impressive drinks cabinet stocked with household-name brands. This list includes Guinness, Baileys, Smirnoff, Captain Morgan, Gordon’s, Johnnie Walker, and Aviation American Gin. It’s a holding in the City of London Investment Trust***, which was launched back in 1891. This makes it one of the longest-running trusts in the UK. The trust aims to provide growth in income and capital by investing predominantly in larger UK companies with international exposure. It has consistently increased its dividend for decades.

Eating out

Pubs and restaurants are also expected to cash in on the Easter celebrations. The aforementioned City of London Investment Trust also holds shares in Young & Co’s Brewery***. This company has more than 270 managed pubs, mainly in London and southern England, providing food and drink for Easter celebrations. Paul Marriage, manager of Premier Miton Tellworth UK Smaller Companies, recently told us why he’s backing British pubs, and Young’s in particular, at our annual speed dating event.

Read more: What six fund managers back when no one’s watching

Whitbread is another major player in this sector. The owner of Premier Inn is also behind the popular Beefeater, Brewers Fayre and Cookhouse + Pub brands. The company’s shares are held by the CT UK Equity Income fund*, which is managed by the experienced Jeremy Smith. He looks for unloved stocks listed on the London Stock Exchange that can sustainably grow their dividends. This gives him access to hidden gems with long-term potential.

Home improvements

Of course, not everyone will spend the Easter weekend relaxing. The bank holiday is also a popular time to crack on with improvement projects. The JPMorgan UK Small Cap Growth and Income Trust is well positioned to benefit as it’s invested in DIY group Wickes, as well as DFS Furniture and Dunelm***. This trust aims to provide capital growth and an enhanced dividend by investing in UK-listed companies further down the market-cap scale. We like the fund’s focus on high-quality, fast-growing and innovative smaller companies. It also has an experienced management team in Georgina Brittain and Katen Patel.

*Source: fund factsheet, 28 February 2026
**Source: Kantar, 20 May 2025
***Source: fund full holdings, 31 January 2026