A cross Catholic priest is furious about the sale of Australian's favorite Easter treat in supermarkets because he says it disrespects religious beliefs.

Tasmanian priest Father Tony Kennedy says hot cross buns are symbolic of Good Friday to remind people of the day that Jesus died, and should not be available to buy all year round, the Mercury reports.

His protest comes as the bakery goody appeared on shelves in shops across the country.

Father Kennedy insists the early sale of the hot cross bun marked with the traditional cross reduces its religious significance, and is calling on supermarkets to remove them from the shelves.

"Woolworths should remove the cross and sell them as buns and put it back on Good Friday," he told the Mercury.

But the supermarkets defend their move to stock the buns ahead of Good Friday saying it is due to customer demand.

Coles media spokesman Jon Church told the newspaper: "We put the the cross on our buns because that’s how they (customers) like them.

"The buns went on sale early because customers wanted it.

"A lot of customers would like them sold all year round," he added. "What we are doing is responding to customer demand."