Santa who? Hot cross buns flying off shelves already

Countdown supermarkets are selling hot cross buns weeks after Christmas. Photo / Greg Bowker

While some Kiwis are yet to wind up their Christmas breaks - and get through their Christmas ham - hot cross buns have already hit the shelves at some supermarkets.

Countdown stores across the country have been stocking the buns since Monday.

Yesterday afternoon, more than 3600 packs had already sold - a 10 per cent increase on the same time last year, a spokeswoman said.

"Our bakery teams will be gearing up to make more than two million hot cross buns in Easter week," she said.

Easter-themed chocolates will also start hitting Countdown's shelves this week, despite Good Friday not falling until April 18.

Pak'n Save, Four Square and New World supermarkets will not stock Easter treats until next month.

"Early selling Easter items like the smaller treat-size lines will start to appear over the next few weeks but the main chocolate eggs only sell one to two weeks out from Easter," a spokeswoman for owner Foodstuffs said.

Nosh Food Market chief executive Hayden Syers said he was surprised to hear other stores were offering the goods so soon. The specialist food stores did not bring in Easter products until six weeks before, he said.

Farro Fresh is also not stocking Easter goods yet. A spokeswoman said they would not bring the products in until closer to the holiday.

New Zealand Retailers Association chief executive John Albertson said if customers were buying a product, it was always the right time to sell it.

"Whether it's this season's fashion trends or hot cross buns, it's driven by customer demand."