Kinder Surprise Eggs Banned in the U.S.?

[MikeVic]

CBC News - Manitoba - Kinder Surprise egg seized at U.S. border (http://www.cbc.ca/canada/manitoba/story/2011/01/10/man-kinder-surprise-border.html)

Thought this was a funny article (not the writing, just the subject of the article) and thought it could be used as a debate.

I think that since the packaging has an icon with a child and "0-3" crossed out, plus with the toy being in that plastic container... these should not be banned as a choking hazard. And a potential $300 fine for bringing one in to the country seems kinda weird too.

Thoughts?

[Lathum]

Lind Bird was recently stopped at the U.S. border and selected for a random search of her vehicle. She was warned she could have faced a fine after the customs official found — and seized — her $2 Kinder Surprise egg as illegal contraband.


I think it is funny someone named Bird had an egg confiscated.

[MikeVic]

I think it is funny someone named Bird had an egg confiscated.

LOL didn't put that together before. That is funny.

[Maple Leafs]

I think it is funny someone named Bird had an egg confiscated.
See how funny it seems when she starts catapulting herself into the customs office to get it back

[Telle]

Wow. I knew you couldn't buy them in the US, but I didn't know you couldn't bring them in for your own personal consumption! People I used to work with would bring cases of them back from Germany. I ordered a few cases of them from Canada for wedding favors when RendeR and I got married (and they were a big hit with the guests).

[Mustang]

Thoughts?

Given that my first thought was 'So, you pop this into your mouth, eat it and spit out the toy.. ya, that would be a bad idea'. I can see how a kid could do that.

Seems like I'd be coming up with a way to rework these so they could be marketed within the U.S though. Maybe a plastic shell with a 1/2 insert of chocolate and the other 1/2 the toy.

[MikeVic]

These are big eggs, no way you stick the entire thing in your mouth. It's not like a Cadbury Creme Egg.

[Lathum]

See how funny it seems when she starts catapulting herself into the customs office to get it back

http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/5202/41640995.jpg (http://img211.imageshack.us/i/41640995.jpg/)

Uploaded with ImageShack.us (http://imageshack.us)

[Telle]

These are big eggs, no way you stick the entire thing in your mouth. It's not like a Cadbury Creme Egg.

Actually, one of my bridesmaids at my wedding was about to try to put the whole thing in her mouth when I yelled at her, explained the presence of the toy inside, and told her she was the reason they can't sell them in the US :)

[RendeR]

They're too big to "pop" into your mouth anyway. The egg is the chocolate, you have to break it open to get to the toy.

Honestly there really is no danger of choking on the inserted plastic tube. The issue is the toys inside the tubes have tiny pieces and the US has laws banning the insertion of toys of any kind into food items.

Still utterly stupid that they confiscated them.

[MikeVic]

They're too big to "pop" into your mouth anyway. The egg is the chocolate, you have to break it open to get to the toy.

Honestly there really is no danger of choking on the inserted plastic tube. The issue is the toys inside the tubes have tiny pieces and the US has laws banning the insertion of toys of any kind into food items.

Still utterly stupid that they confiscated them.

Is this why cereals don't have toys inside anymore?

[Lathum]

Actually, one of my bridesmaids at my wedding was about to try to put the whole thing in her mouth

My kind of bridesmaid.

[saldana]

Actually, one of my bridesmaids at my wedding was about to try to put the whole thing in her mouth when I yelled at her, explained the presence of the toy inside, and told her she was the reason they can't sell them in the US :)

My kind of bridesmaid.

pics pls k thxs

can i have her number?

[Mustang]

It's not like a Cadbury Creme Egg.

I don't even jam a whole cadbury egg in my mouth.

[RendeR]

Is this why cereals don't have toys inside anymore?


its why the toys are very simple one piece items that are too big to put in the mouth, yes.

Nothing with multiple parts or parts small enough to ingest can be made into or inside of edible foods. (I haven't actually checked this in like 10 years so it may have changed?)

[RendeR]

I don't even jam a whole cadbury egg in my mouth.


You should, its a HUGE sugar rush

[MikeVic]

Well at least I learned that it seems to be common knowledge that these things are banned, or it makes sense that they are banned. When I saw the title of the article, I thought it was because you can hide illegal stuff inside of the egg.

[RendeR]

They are banned from SALE in the US, as far as I know there is no such ban on owning or consuming them as a legal adult.

[Logan]

I would kill for a Cadbury egg right now.

[Logan]

Hopefully it doesn't kill me.

[RendeR]

After digging a bit it appears that Kinder Eggs were banned from import and sale entirely in 1997. Hence you are now open to the standard contraband fine for bringing even a single egg through the US border upon your person.

Having experienced them and being of semi sound mind and body I will attest to the fact that this is a stupid ban. IMO.

[Mustang]

Anyone else starting to think that Render's job is an Importer/Exporter?

[Lathum]

Anyone else starting to think that Render's job is an Importer/Exporter?

and his real name is Art Vandelay.

[PackerFanatic]

I would kill for a Cadbury egg right now.

+100

It's almost Easter...

[Icy]

Uh i guess i can't travel to USA with my 3 years old kid then, he loves them and for sure he can't fit the whole egg inside his mouth, i doubt i can either.

I find the ban pretty stupid, if kinder eggs are know and advertised for something is for having a toy inside (protected inside a plastic case so it's not that the parts are free inside the egg), so why would you try to eat the whole thing at once? or why would you leave your under 3 years old kid with it without your supervision?

Governments make people more and more stupid telling us to do or not to do things that should be just common sense. I'm waiting for a law to disallow the WC because if you stick your head inside and then pull from the water chain, you can drown.

[Lathum]

I'm waiting for a law to disallow the WC because if you stick your head inside and then pull from the water chain, you can drown.

huh?

[MikeVic]

I'm guessing WC = water closet... washroom.

[Logan]

Shitter.

[MikeVic]

Uh i guess i can't travel to USA with my 3 years old kid then, he loves them and for sure he can't fit the whole egg inside his mouth, i doubt i can either.

I find the ban pretty stupid, if kinder eggs are know and advertised for something is for having a toy inside (protected inside a plastic case so it's not that the parts are free inside the egg), so why would you try to eat the whole thing at once? or why would you leave your under 3 years old kid with it without your supervision?

Governments make people more and more stupid telling us to do or not to do things that should be just common sense. I'm waiting for a law to disallow the WC because if you stick your head inside and then pull from the water chain, you can drown.

Yeah, I totally agree with this (I think my original post alluded to that). When I read this I was actually really surprised. My sister and I still buy each other a random Kinder egg from time to time for nostalgic reasons, and if I was in the U.S. I wouldn't be able to do that. And because a kid might choke on pieces? Can't you say something similar to pretty much everything that could be dangerous? A kid can hang themselves with jump rope, ban that. A kid can choke on a pen cap, ban pens. A kid can fall down basement stairs and break their neck, so no more basement stairs greater in number than 3 steps can exist anymore. Just seems so stupid.

[Logan]

+100

It's almost Easter...

I'm back to trying to watch my diet but I really want one of these fuckers. Just googled the nutritional info and while not great, it's not as bad as I thought it was for you. We'll see what happens on my way home from work.

[cartman]

Yeah, I totally agree with this (I think my original post alluded to that). When I read this I was actually really surprised. My sister and I still buy each other a random Kinder egg from time to time for nostalgic reasons, and if I was in the U.S. I wouldn't be able to do that. And because a kid might choke on pieces? Can't you say something similar to pretty much everything that could be dangerous? A kid can hang themselves with jump rope, ban that. A kid can choke on a pen cap, ban pens. A kid can fall down basement stairs and break their neck, so no more basement stairs greater in number than 3 steps can exist anymore. Just seems so stupid.

The choking part is a secondary reason. The primary reason is a law from the 1930s that bans an inedible item encased wholly inside an edible item.

[MikeVic]

The choking part is a secondary reason. The primary reason is a law from the 1930s that bans an inedible item encased wholly inside an edible item.

Kinder eggs had to be in the U.S. at some point, no? I guess if that's the law and people are fine with it then that's how it'll be. This was the first time I heard of it so I thought I'd ask about it and for opinions.

[Mustang]

that bans an inedible item encased wholly inside an edible item.

I wonder how hot pockets are legal then.

[stevew]

I wonder how hot pockets are legal then.

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[terpkristin]

Hmmm. Didn't know they were illegal to sell or import. A friend brought some back for me last time she went on work travel. And I know I've seen them in a store on Rockville Pike (a small hole-in-the-wall that has all kinds of imported foods).

Bummer.

/tk

[sterlingice]

Actually, one of my bridesmaids at my wedding was about to try to put the whole thing in her mouth when I yelled at her, explained the presence of the toy inside, and told her she was the reason they can't sell them in the US :)

:D

SI

[tucker rocky]

I would kill for a Cadbury egg right now.

http://www.slashfood.com/media/2006/04/ultimate-creme-egg

[ColtCrazy]

That's so odd. On a similar note, they also banned the Christmas crackers from coming back here. I used to bring home a couple of boxes to use in my classroom. But because they "pop" they are worried they are a potential fire hazard/bomb trigger I guess. Can't even pack them in a suitcase.

[Autumn]

I wonder how hot pockets are legal then.

/thread

[Pumpy Tudors]

Part of my job involves work for Cadbury, and I just want to say that Cadbury Creme Eggs are a Hershey product in the US, not a Cadbury product. So for any of you folks who know about my job and wonder if I can get you Cadbury Creme Eggs, the answer is no.

And Mustang's comment about Hot Pockets was amazing.

[cartman]

So for any of you folks who know about my job and wonder if I can get you Cadbury Creme Eggs, the answer is no.

But what if you label them 'Cadbury Creme Egg-shaped Suppositories'? I'll take 3 dozen.

[gstelmack]

We'd probably let people import this stuff if they'd stop suing whenver they did something stupid and crying to the government whenever someone gets hurt.

[Karlifornia]

I'm all about the Mini Eggs.

[Pumpy Tudors]

But what if you label them 'Cadbury Creme Egg-shaped Suppositories'? I'll take 3 dozen.
TALK TO HERSHEY!!!!!

[MikeVic]

Part of my job involves work for Cadbury, and I just want to say that Cadbury Creme Eggs are a Hershey product in the US, not a Cadbury product. So for any of you folks who know about my job and wonder if I can get you Cadbury Creme Eggs, the answer is no.

And Mustang's comment about Hot Pockets was amazing.

So why don't you get work involving Hershey then, Mr. Pennsylvania? FOFC demands Hershey products.

[Pumpy Tudors]

So why don't you get work involving Hershey then, Mr. Pennsylvania? FOFC demands Hershey products.
The Hershey guy sits six cubicles away from me, but he's bigger than me, so I'll have a hard time eliminating him.

[MikeVic]

The Hershey guy sits six cubicles away from me, but he's bigger than me, so I'll have a hard time eliminating him.

Do I have to come up with an elaborate series of Outlook meeting invites to eliminate him...?

[Pumpy Tudors]

Do I have to come up with an elaborate series of Outlook meeting invites to eliminate him...?
Nice idea. I'm on it.

[Logan]

I would kill for a Cadbury egg right now.

http://i55.tinypic.com/ip9yt0.jpg

http://i53.tinypic.com/9bbwn8.jpg

http://i54.tinypic.com/2h3vfit.jpg

[Lathum]

Lol

[Pumpy Tudors]

I love the hell out of Logan. Love him. :)

[MacroGuru]

That was awesome Logan!