First it was Santa Claus, now it seems the Easter Bunny is at risk of being cancelled. Or, at least, the iconic chocolate Easter egg.That’s because a chocolate shop in London has taken to offering discount ‘gesture’ eggs in place of the traditional Cadbury Easter Cream variety.The iconic British chocolate maker is offering customers a two-for-£10 deal on the sweet treats at its Springfields outlet store in Spalding, Lincolnshire..It’s raised a ruckus among the usually staid Brits, whose collective stiff upper lips accused the company of caving in to cancel culture. In 2017, the National Trust Easter egg trail, sponsored by Cadbury, was renamed the ‘Great British Egg Hunt’ in order to appeal to non-Christians and “people of all faiths.”The move has not only angered people of faith, but also sentimental types attached to British traditions.“If it wasn’t for Easter, we wouldn’t have a reason for Easter eggs,” said Tim Dieppe, the head of public policy at Christian Concern. “So I’m wondering why Cadbury wants to erase the connection between Easter and eggs, because if people stop celebrating Easter then they might stop buying Easter eggs.”.The irony is that the Cadbury brothers first introduced the chocolate Easter egg in 1923, exactly 101 years ago. Since then, they’ve become iconic symbols of the season.And in fact, the egg is one of the first religious symbols, a representation of fertility and eternity dating back to the ancient Egyptians.According to the Encyclopedia Britannica — the authority on all things British — the egg itself is a symbol of the Resurrection. “Just as Jesus rose from the tomb, the egg symbolized new life emerging from the eggshell.” In the Orthodox tradition, eggs are painted to symbolize the blood that Jesus shed on the cross, as represented by the colourful Ukrainian pysanka found in many communities across Alberta. Vegreville is home to the world’s largest.The egg-colouring tradition has continued to this day, even in modern secular nations..“Cadbury has used the word Easter in our marketing and communications for over 100 years and continue to do so. To claim anything otherwise is factually incorrect.”Cadbury spokesman .In response, the chocolate firm said that the word ‘Easter’ is still used in Cadbury’s advertising and the promotional poster was created by the outlet store itself — to which it had no direct involvement in.A Cadbury spokesperson said: "This promotion is not Cadbury-led and we had no involvement in any way.”"All Cadbury Easter shell eggs sold in the UK reference Easter very clearly on the packaging — sometimes multiple times. Cadbury has used the word Easter in our marketing and communications for over 100 years and continue to do so. To claim anything otherwise is factually incorrect.”"We are proud of the role we play within families’ Easter celebrations and have a wide range of products that can be enjoyed throughout the Easter season."
