Chocolate Easter eggs carrying a simple message about Jesus’ death and resurrection have been so popular that an online map has been set up to show which stores are selling them.
Shoppers have complained that they are struggling to find the egg in stores, and the producer’s mail order stocks have sold out.
Britain’s leading supermarkets have been cautious about selling the product, called The Real Easter Egg, because it carries such an overtly Christian message.
Demand
But following criticism that they were being over sensitive, some stores decided to put a limited number of the eggs on their shelves as a trial run.
The Meaningful Chocolate Company, which created the egg, has set up an online map to help shoppers find the participating stores.
The company has been encouraged by sales, saying that now demand has been proven it hopes customers will have “more choice” on where to buy the egg next year.
Thousands
The company said: “We want to thank the tens of thousands of people who have placed a direct mail order with us this year and we thank our friends at Traidcraft for organising distribution.
“Having proven that there is demand for an egg that tells the Easter story on the box, we hope that next year we will be able to produce more to meet demand and customers will have more choice on where to buy the egg.”
It was revealed last month that supermarkets Waitrose, Morrison’s and the Co-op were to stock the eggs on a trial basis.
However supermarket giants Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda have so far failed to agree to stock the egg.
Charities
The egg carries a message about Good Friday and Easter Sunday, and depicts a hill with three crosses on it.
Donations from the profits will be made to two charities: Baby Lifeline and Traidcraft Exchange.
When some supermarkets said they would give the egg a trial run the Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Revd Nigel McCulloch, welcomed the move.
He said: “It is great news that for the first time people will have the chance of buying an Easter egg from a shop that explains the significance of the festival on the box.
“Through the charitable donation and its Fairtrade chocolate the egg brings to light the Easter themes of hope and new life. I believe there will be widespread support for the product from the faith community with many others likely to be interested.”