Killer easter eggs on sale across the country

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/killer-easter-eggs-on-sale-across-the-country-10154362.html

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The idea of an Easter egg that isn’t made chocolate is already a pretty wild notion, but one that looks almost identical to a seasonal Easter classic are apparently not just infuriating, but highly dangerous.

Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards warn that non-edible decorative eggs that look virtually identical to Cadbury Mini Eggs could pose a serious choking hazard to children who might try and eat them by mistake.

The foam eggs imported from China have since been removed from hundreds of Poundland stores around the country.

Parents are now being warned that similar products which pose a choking risk may be on sale at other shops around the country or online and trading standards teams are in the process of contacting other stores believed to stock similar decorations.

The classic Mini eggs

Poundland agreed to remove the packs of “decorative eggs” after being advised by trading standards officers that they were likely to contravene food limitation safety rules.

They are almost indistinguishable from the famous Cadbury Mini Eggs in size, shape and colour and the action to remove them came following a complaint by a customer at the Redhill branch of the store.

Steve Playle, Investigations and Enforcement Manager at Buckinghamshire and Surrey Trading Standards, said: “These products could very easily be mistaken for Cadbury Mini Eggs by young children and swallowed leading to dire consequences.”

“They could be particularly difficult to remove if lodged in a child’s throat because they are made of polystyrene and could mould to the shape of their airway making them difficult to remove in an emergency.”

“We welcome the actions of Poundland in taking a potentially dangerous product off the shelves and would urge any parent who has already purchased a pack to keep it away from children.”

“Parents should also be wary of similar products being offered for sale over the Easter period at other stores or online.”