Stores are switching chocolate coins back to Sterling

[andyg]

(what else did you expect from the Daily Mail?)

Stores are switching chocolate coins back to Sterling

Its value is plummeting, debt-ridden nations such as Greece are on the brink of abandoning it, and now the euro has suffered a fresh indignity.

British stores have stopped selling chocolate versions of the coin.

Sainsbury's, which sells hundreds of  thousands of chocolate coins each year,  said it ditched euros this Christmas and reintroduced chocolate Sterling coins.

Even German-owned chain Lidl switched from a chocolate version of the euro to British pounds and pence.
The stores said they were responding to strong public demand, with Lidl saying the move significantly boosted sales

But both shops were reluctant to speculate about whether the demand for British money had been fuelled by the current financial crisis in Europe.

Chocolate fan: Tory MP John Redwood
The trend was hailed as 'a very sensible move' by Conservative Eurosceptic and former Cabinet Minister John Redwood.

Wokingham MP Mr Redwood said: 'This shows that shops understand the public mood. We are waiting for all the politicians to catch up. There is a feeling of disaster surrounding the euro that has clearly put people off buying them at Christmas.
'I am a fan of chocolate coins but I have never bought euros.'

Although Sterling coins have always  been sold in some stores, including Marks  & Spencer, members of the public have complained in the past that they have struggled to find them.

Most of the chocolate coins sold in Britain are made in Europe, where manufacturers have a higher demand for euro coins.

One British shopper complained on a consumer website that he wanted British coins to decorate his Christmas tree but in the past few years he had seen only euros in stores. He wrote: 'I can't hang euros on the tree, it's just not right.'

Sainsbury's, which sold only chocolate euros in the past, said it had brought back Sterling coins (priced at 49p for a 15g bag) after an increasing number of customers requested them in its stores, on email and  on its Facebook page

Lidl, which has 580 stores in the UK, said its decision to sell chocolate money in Sterling instead of euros for the first time this Christmas was also made to 'meet customer expectation'.

A spokesman said: 'As a result we have witnessed a significant increase in year-on-year sales. Based on current sales trends, we have no plans to move back to selling euro chocolate money.

'We would suggest that the UK public have bought more pound Sterling chocolate coins than euro chocolate coins because this currency is more familiar to them, given that it is legal tender in the UK.

'However, the trend could also be attributed to many factors.'

Unlike its rivals, Boots shops continued  to stock chocolate euros in the run-up  to Christmas.

Market analysts Mintel said more than £160million of seasonal chocolate, including coins, was sold during the festive period

[Prosit]

I saw chocolate euro coins for sale here in the States this holiday season.
I didn't buy any.  Maybe they will be rare 
Dale

[Figleaf]

Most of the chocolate coins sold in Britain are made in Europe

HAR HAR HAR!

And THEIR chocolate tastes like Bratwurst.

Peter

[malj1]

HAR HAR HAR!

And THEIR chocolate tastes like Bratwurst.

Peter

I believe you have to remove the outer wrapper!

Try a few Aussie ones...

[chrisild]

I believe you have to remove the outer wrapper!

But doing that would not really improve the taste.

Christian