Cadbury Creme Eggs are an Easter candy staple. But if you've ever been to the UK and eaten one of these babies, you might have noticed that they taste different than they do here in the US. To clarify, by "different" I mean better. As a lover of all things Easter and chocolate, I felt it was my duty to get to the bottom of this sticky mess.
Banned!
Back in 2015, Cadbury products, including the iconic Creme Egg, were banned from being imported into the United States. It all started when Hershey Chocolate Corporation filed a lawsuit alleging that Cadbury copied an already existing Hershey chocolate egg recipe of theirs.
Now let me be perfectly clear, this does not mean that the classic "creme egg" variation of Easter candy isn't sold here in the US, but that US companies cannot sell imported Cadbury Creme Eggs.
A quick lesson in capitalism
Now, I know what you're thinking—how could a single chocolate company have the power to ban an international product from the US market? Well, I've got one word for you: monopoly. Apparently, Hershey dominates the US chocolate market, putting the United States government in the position where they must accommodate Hershey because of the power they hold in the market.
Oh, capitalism. How is it that you publicize free market enterprise and laissez-faire government involvement, yet control and limit the masses when things don't go as planned? I find it abhorrent that one company could have so much say in the trade relations of our nation, and I'm not even a huge Cadbury supporter, to begin with.
British expats across the US are mad that their beloved Cadbury chocolates are in danger. They've been trying to fight the legislation, but haven't been successful.
So, what can we do?
Since a permanent fix doesn't seem to be in sight, we can take matters into our own hands by writing letters to our state legislators and governors demanding that they bring this up at the next Senate or House of Representatives meeting. Although something tells me that chocolate corruption isn't the most pressing issue on the docket this year.
However, there are still ways of getting around the Hershey's Ban. So the next time you take a trip across the pond, be sure to pack an extra suitcase to bring back those Easter eggs and declare nothing upon entering the US again. (Slightly kidding.)
Another easy alternative is quitting the big corporations altogether and making your own chocolate buttercream eggs. I say, when the law confines you, take the law into your own hands and bring back our chocolate.