THE Easter bunny has nothing to do with the resurrection of Jesus but rather with the Germanic deity Eostra.
Eostra was the goddess of spring and fertility, and feasts were held in her honour on the vernal equinox.
Her symbol was the rabbit because of the animal's high reproduction rate. Rabbits certainly do not lay eggs but eggs are a symbol of fertility.
Australians spent about $185.7 million (or $132.85 a person) on Easter eggs last year.
Dark and fair trade chocolate was popular, as were brands such as Lindt and Haigh's, market analysts IBISWorld found.
The Australian chocolate and confectionery manufacturing industry employs 13,651 people in 365 businesses.
It has remained fairly resilient over the past five years despite a recessive economy, falling disposable incomes, volatile commodity prices and increasing import competition.
IBISWorld said the advent of the health-conscious consumer "has required producers to be innovative with their product lines and adapt them to changing consumer trends".
