Surprised Again by Kinder Eggs

Posted By: Larry Fedoruk · 7/19/2012 8:21:00 AM

Today another story of a Kinder egg border hassle.  This time a Seattle couple returning from a trip to Vancouver were busted for bringing Kinder eggs into the United States.  They spent 2 hours in a detention center, were told that fines could be up to $2500/egg.  Eventually they were released and told never to bring these across the border again.  Interestingly, the eggs were not confiscated.

Over a year ago I wrote about the Kinder Surprise and my feelings on this dangerous product have not changed.  Here is the piece from last year....

For years I have wondered about the logic behind the Kinder Surprise.  I have said so many times on the radio program.

Take a chocolaty egg-shaped candy treat that kids would love to devour, and hide an inedible item inside that some believe (including me) could pose a choking hazard.

Does it not go against every parental instinct we’ve ever had about telling our kids what not to put into their mouths?  It would seem so, but I’m not HealthCanada.

HEALTH CANADA

…has said that small children do not have the dexterity to crack open the eggs and so are unlikely to inhale or choke on the trinkets.  My egg came apart very easily, the chocolate part AND the plastic one inside holding my toy.

U.S. BAN

Kinder Surprises are N/A in theUSA.  They also do not allow the embedding of non-food items in confections.  That just makes too much sense.  We’ve come a long way since Mom used to hide money in the birthday cake.  (“Look, Donny was choking to death but he’s since coughed up a quarter!”)

 

I can’t believe a Manitoba woman is upset because her Kinder Surprise was confiscated at the border. US Customs and Border Services grab about 25,000 of these per year, usually at Christmas and Easter.

These should also be banned in Canada.  Seems like a no-brainer to me. 

For other Larry Fedoruk blogs and features, click here.

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  1. BryanH_7016 posted on 07/19/2012 05:04 PM
    It's horrible chocolate. Regardless of the toy inside, it's horrible chocolate. If you are in fear of a small child opening up the egg, opening up the egg that the toy is in and choking on the toy, your child's to young and shouldn't be given one of these in the first place. Lets not bubble wrap this generation any more than we already have. Parents..........WATCH YOUR CHILDREN. It's not that hard.
  2. Larry Fedoruk posted on 07/20/2012 07:46 AM
    It IS terrible chocolate. However, watching kids constantly CAN be difficult. I'm just saying let's give parents a hand where possible by making things safer.
  3. JoG posted on 07/22/2012 10:29 PM
    Yes the chocolates is horrible, and yes parents can't always be watching their children, as a parent of a 5 and 3 year old, i know. But i certainly do not think a silly little chocolate egg should be banned. My children LOVE Kinder eggs. My daughter asks for 1 every time we go to the dollar store. But as a responsible parent i open the egg myself, crack it open and give them the chocolate to eat, while i put the little useless toy together for them. My children know enough not to put it in their mouths. And it usually ends up in the garbage a couple of days later anyhow.

    Parents just need to be smart and responsible when it comes to issues like this. Open and give them the chocolate yourself, and use your judgement about the toy if it is too small to give to your young child. not very hard...
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