Sweet-toothed Swiss munch through 4100 tonnes of chocolate bunnies and eggs

The Easter bunny has brought Swiss chocolate manufacturers a special present - sales have shot up over the holiday period to an estimated 4100 tonnes.

The Easter bunny has brought Swiss chocolate manufacturers a special present – sales have shot up over the holiday period to an estimated 4100 tonnes.

However, the Federation of Swiss Chocolate Manufacturers, Chocosuisse, said sales did not beat the record set in 1997, when 4250 tonnes of chocolate were sold.

Chocosuisse director, Franz Schmid, said chocolate retailers usually hope for colder, wetter and greyer skies over Easter, because sales tend to increase. He said that through experience, retailers have learned that people tend to buy less chocolate when it is relatively warm, as it is in many parts of Switzerland at the moment.

Chocosuisse estimates that around 15 million bunnies, eggs and other chocolates have been sold this Easter, with each Swiss eating an average of around 570 grammes of chocolate. However, only five per cent of the total annual chocolate consumption happens during Easter – the majority of sales are during the Christmas period.

Also this Easter, sales of chicken eggs have risen by ten per cent compared to Easter 1999. Ruedi Schmid, the president of the Union of Egg Retailers, said around 25 million eggs have been sold during the holiday period. In many parts of Switzerland, it is traditional to decorate chicken eggs as part of Easter celebrations.

swissinfo with agencies