Parents are to receive their biggest share of their kids’ easter eggs since the economic crash in 2008, latest figures say. The average ‘share’ awarded is set to rise to 24% of all chocolate given to their kids, a rise of 3% on last year.
The share of chocolate, which parents award themselves, has always been controversial, especially during the economic downturn. One cocoa analyst explained the market to us: “The last few years have seen Easter egg distribution on an ‘egg per child’ basis down on previous years, and only now are we seeing aunties and uncles coming back into the market” Sam, aged 12 told us.
“This means parents have had to take a lower percentage of the children’s chocolate to keep overall levels high. But now each child looks set to gain more chocolate capital this year, parents can expect to take a larger share.”
The increase in the parental share is also being blamed on a change in regulation. Justine Roberts, founder of Mumsnet said that many parents had been found to be abusing the system but this year steps had been taken to ensure all chocolate taken by parents was fully accounted for.
“We know that the vast majority of mums and dads have used underhand tactics to increase their shares in their kids’ haul in the past. From breaking the eggs up and keeping the broken bits in a bowl in the fridge, dipping their hands into the funds whenever they pleased, through to blatant theft of the chocolate buttons in the centre, parents have always found ways to cheat the system.
“As most point out, what they are doing was not ‘against the rules’ but ‘against the spirit of the rules’. However this year they are expected to declare everything they take meaning the headline share figure will rise.”
The Houses of Parliament have also been caught up in a chocolate based scandal this week, with many visitors claiming any sweet food was being seized and ‘discarded’ by an official at the entrance for security reasons.
Speaker John Bercow has apologised and said Eric Pickles has promised to stop the practice.
