Easter and the Egg
Here’s something we all know: Us Brits love chocolate. In world league tables of per capita consumption, the UK takes joint fourth place behind Switzerland, Germany and Austria. On average, each person in Britain eats approximately 9.5kg of chocolate per year, and Easter sees consumption of the sweet stuff rocket. Figures show across the UK, approximately 80 million chocolate eggs are sold, with Easter chocolate sales making up 10% of our annual chocolate spend.
The origin of the Easter egg is often lost in the chocolate frenzy, but Easter is as we know a Christian festival which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Eggs have traditionally been used to illustrate new life, just as Jesus began his new life on Easter Sunday after his resurrection. Others however, believe the new life celebrated refers to the coming of the new season, Spring.
So, now we’re on the same page regarding why we have chocolate eggs at Easter – the egg symbolises new life, whether that is a religious belief or whether it is to mark the birth of Spring and they’re chocolate because, well…chocolate makes money!
In fact the Easter Egg market is the number one gifting occasion worldwide and the second most popular time of the year for eating chocolate. The UK market is worth in excess of £220 million with shell eggs representing the oldest and largest sector.
Did you know the first chocolate Easter egg was produced by Fry’s in 1873? Now, 143 years later Cadbury dominates the market with more than a 50% share! So this begs the question, what’s your favourite Easter egg? Tweet us and let us know. Happy Egg-eating.
Sources:
www.eauk.org/culture/statistics/easter-facts-and-statistics.cfm
www.cadburyworld.co.uk/schoolandgroups/~/media/CadburyWorld/en/Files/Pdf/factsheet-easterbrands