At last, there is an Easter egg that actually tells you something about Easter.
I haven’t seen one yet; apparently, they are on sale in the main supermarket chains (apart from Asda). So I can only report the fact, and I can’t comment on either the theology/kerygma/catechesis presented on the packaging, or the quality of the chocolate! You can buy them online here.
Christian groups have won a victory in their campaign for shops to sell a religious Easter egg.
Nearly every major supermarket will for the first time this year stock the Real Easter Egg – the only one to mention Jesus on its packaging.
Customers and bishops have lobbied them for three years to stock the £3.99 egg.
They all turned the product away when it was launched in 2010, but Waitrose, Morrisons and the Co-op signed up to trial the eggs in 2011 and 2012.
Now Sainsbury’s and Tesco have joined them – a decision church leaders described as ‘a milestone’.
Asda is the only major chain not to stock the egg, the box of which explains the religious significance of Easter and contains an activity for children.
The Meaningful Chocolate Company expects to sell more than 200,000 of the religious eggs. Around 80 million Easter eggs are sold each year in the UK.
Sainsbury’s and Waitrose will stock just 12 eggs at a small numbers of stores. Tesco is the biggest stockist and will sell the eggs out of 450 of its largest stores.
And what’s the purpose of it all?
The box of the fairtrade chocolate egg explains the religious significance of Easter and contains an activity for children.
David Marshall, from the Meaningful Chocolate Company, said: ‘Our aim is to change the Easter egg market forever by making it more spiritual, more generous and more faithful.’
All profits from the egg will go to the charity.
Let me know if you have actually seen one, or even eaten one (but you can’t admit that before Easter morning…).
[Thanks to Julie for sending me the link on Facebook.]
Bridges and Tangents 
Wonderful Wonder full, There’s only one problem, these eggs I believe should be in red foil; ‘Old legend has it that St. Mary Magdalen went to Rome and met with the Emperor Tiberius to tell him about the Resurrection of Jesus. She held out an egg to him as a symbol of this, and he scoffed, saying that a man could no more rise from the dead than that egg that she held could turn scarlet. The egg turned deep red in her hands, and this is the origin of Easter eggs, and the reason why Mary Magdalen is often portrayed holding a scarlet egg.’
A great idea, a shame it wasn’t done earlier but it’s never too late. My hope is that, apart from the chocolate, it might interest a few young (and not so young) minds in the reasons for celebrating Easter. It ma sow the seeds of faith that will come to fruition later on.
My wife and I have been buying these eggs for the past couple of years to send to our godchildren, and we’ve also been trying to promote them to our Catholic friends. They’re for sale at some branches of Morrisons and also at various Christian bookshops and cathedrals. They had a good supply at Durham Cathedral this year, although I don’t know how many are left. If you can’t find them in the shops, you can get them via mail order.
The quality is at least as good as Cadbury’s chocolate (which I know isn’t saying much).
We first found out about them through the Premier Radio mailings.
I have just bought three eggs from my local Sainsbury superstore. They retail at £5 each – just £1 more than most of the eggs available. Because they are holding a token stock I decided to get in quick I also went to Customer Services to tell them I think this is a great idea. Here’s hoping that positive feedback filters upwards!
Tesco has about 120 eggs per store across 460 stores. Morrisons has about 36 eggs in each of its stores. Coop has about 36 eggs in each of its larger stores. Sainsburys has 1,000 eggs across the whole of the UK. Waitrose has 2,000 eggs across the whole of the UK.
Below is an interesting article that would be a great topic for you to comment on, Fr Stephen, in your blog:
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/christian-easter-eggs-and-child-abuse-the-creation-of-a-parallel-universe-by-the-church-8521140.html
Will be purchasing mine tomorrow!
5 eggs purchased from Tesco’s. My Waitrose didn’t have any.
Not Magdalene Red foil, or green as the egg above, but bright Mary blue foil 0-:O)
Reblogged this on Life. Love. Discernment..
I live in the far north of Scotland and am surprised and happy to say that our local Co-op has a small supply of these eggs (about 20 or so) and they are selling them at £4 each (£1 cheaper than reported from Sainsbury’s)