Kinder Surprise

Kinder Surprise is a product of the Italian company Ferrero. Other names are in Germany the general term Surprise (short: Ü-Ei ) and abroad Kinder Surprise, children Sorpresa ( there colloquially children Egg or Sorpresa ).

The egg consists of 20 grams of chocolate in the form of a two-layer shell, brown on the outside, white on the inside. Inside the egg is in a likewise ovoid, usually yellow plastic packing a gimmick character or a toy Quick kit. Some of the characters from the surprise eggs are sought after by collectors.

History

Kinder Surprise is available in Germany since 1974. The hallmark of surprise ice, the red- Eiermann " UEI ", created in 1981 and is known not only in Germany. It looks like the original and had the mid-1980s even white teeth that customers should move to purchase the product. Initially, since the bar code was read on the eggs bad, was the " Ü - Egg Man " at each checkout with the corresponding code on the sole of the foot. There were, however, before 1981 an advertising mascot of the surprise ice, which praised the surprises. The mascot put a game boy with blue work pants and green and white T -shirt dar. This figure was later ( in 1986) and even as a toy ( plug figure - Set of four figures) in Surprise. They may generate Kinder Surprise revenues increased from fiscal year 1993/94 to 1997/ 98 by DM 115 million to over 370 million DM

Since 2006, the chocolate eggs are " represented " in the summer from the product Kinder Joy. Nevertheless, in some outlets even in summer still remaining stock to acquire surprise eggs. Furthermore, there is the larger Maxi - eggs from Ferrero, similar to the children's surprise.

At Easter and Christmas special special packs of four and six surprise eggs in Germany are available. There are also three packs and two Christmas stockings that also contain special characters. 2012 Pink Surprise for girls was put on the market.

Figures and other toys

Ferrero brings the world every year about 20 new figure series and about 150 to assemble, toys on the market. The first hand-painted, continuous pieces series was between 1981 and 1983 the Smurf series " Do you know your Smurf ". Before that there were already other hard plastic figures, who also came into the hand painted egg, such as figures of Robin Hood, Alice in Wonderland and other Walt Disney series. In later years, followed by several series whose names were always formed from an English alliteration, such as " Teen Tapsi Törtels ", " Happy Hippos ", " Crazy Crocos ", " Dapsy Dinosaurs" or " Funny Fanten ", all of the designer André Roche were created from Munich. A distinction is made between licensing series ( especially under license from Disney, but also Pumuckl and Maya the Bee ) and specially developed for Ferrero figure series that advertise more frequently and for its own Ferrero products.

In recent years, Ferrero has each brought out at Christmas figure series that are related to recent movies in context, such as the three-part series of figures to the film trilogy The Lord of the Rings or the figures of the Simpsons comics.

Content as a collection area

By shaking, weighing and listening in foreign surprise eggs by comparing the numbers on the sides, collectors are already trying to close on the contents of the egg before buying.

Because of the sometimes high price increases, especially in the older figures ( for example, " Hüpfschlumpfinchen " ) there for several years counterfeit accessories to characters and even whole figures. Also leaflets and puzzles are forged and distributed. However, be faked no longer just older figures, and newer characters such as the special edition of the figure " Dark Laser" to paint over. Similar to buy stamps at the surprise eggs price catalogs, which are updated annually, to give collectors a rough guide to how much her ​​character is actually worth. However, this value is only as a rough estimate. The realistic market price, depending on the age of the character at approximately 30-60 % of the list price and is negotiated usually free.

The world's largest exchange takes place in Dreieich four times a year. There are also many smaller stock exchanges, such as Hamburg, Berlin, Hamm, Oberhausen, Klein-Gerau and Regensburg.

Each year, the " O -EI- A Price Guide ", which is the only value for catalog Surprise figures since 2012 appears.

Criticism

• Although food and toys in one, the Surprise is treated in Germany sales tax law as a pure food and taxed at 7%. This tax has already been repeatedly questioned.
• In Germany, the Children's Commission of the German Bundestag dismissed in July 2008 to go to the particular hazard potential, the mountains, the combination of toys and foods as children by the distinction between edible and non-edible parts made ​​difficult.
• In the U.S. since 1938 Sweets are prohibited in the one " is not included edible object". The import into the United States is for individuals with up to 2,500 U.S. dollars (about 1,930 euros ) is punishment, which is often unknown. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration supports the ban because of the alleged danger for small children explicitly. In Canada Surprise eggs carry an imprint which states that they must not be sold in the United States.
• The company Candy Treasures from New Jersey in 2013 brought the very similar product Choco Treasures out. The capsule splits the chocolate visible from the outside into two parts so that it can be seen that there are non-edible parts inside. All surprises are released by the U.S. Consumer Protection Agency for children of all ages, with Candy Treasures recommends the eggs only for children over three years. The capsule can be opened via a button labeled "Press to Open ". Candy Treasures are officially to have found inspiration in the product of Ferrero Kinder Surprise.