Culture

Kinder Eggs nearly banned by German Gov't

by phoenixesrose | August 7, 2008 at 10:20 am

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A little over 10 Years ago, the US government banned kinder eggs saying they were a health and safety (choking) hazard for very small children. In addition, they stated that these couldn't be told to be different than grenades when mailed (mostly from military bases overseas) into the US Postal system and X-rayed. Thus, even customs and the US Postal Service has disallowed the entry of these tasty and fun treats from the country.

For those of you who don't know what these are - they're chocolate shaped eggs - about the size of a real chicken egg - which inside contain a round plastic "easter" type egg. In that plastic egg there's a tiny toy about 1 inch in height - sometimes with small pieces or stickers to be attached. The chocolate part of the egg itself is milk chocolate with an inner lining of white chocolate and I personally think it's mostly made of wax from the taste. Others would deny - and say that it's great - but either way - pretty much every kid in Germany looks forward to a trip to the store - and the joy in shaking the eggs until they find the perfect sounding "toy" prize.

At any rate, I suppose we'll see some modifications made - by the Kinder Surprise Egg company - here in Germany soon enough.

German lawmakers floated - and then quickly retracted - the idea of a ban on the massively popular confection Kinder surprise eggs on Thursday amid alledged safety concerns.

Vast quantities of the chocolate eggs with a toy inside are sold every year in Germany, but according to a parliamentary health commission it is dangerous to combine food and toys in one product, the daily newspaper Die Welt reported on Thursday.

"Children cannot tell the difference between a toy and food," commission member Miriam Gruß told the paper.

Gruß backed away from her comments later in the day on Thursday, saying she never meant to advocate a complete ban.

"We just want to prevent a worst-case scenario wherein a child could choke on a toy out of a combination product like this one," she said.

A spokeswoman for Ferrero, the Italian confectionery firm that has made the eggs since 1974, said a ban would be unjustified as the figures or toys are enclosed in a yellow plastic capsule.

"There is absolutely no evidence that there is an increased danger from the combination of food and toys," Ferrero spokeswoman Elise Glaab told Die Welt.

Ferrero brings out 20 new sets of figures every year for the eggs, as well as 150 new kits for toys that have to be put together with the help of a tiny instructions sheet, the paper said.

The commission is also looking at forcing youngsters to wear cycle helmets and making schoolbooks lighter so children don't injure themselves or tire themselves out carrying them around all day, the paper added.