I Can't Believe It's Kinder!!!

Sorry guys but today’s post is going to be a bit of a rant I’m afraid. Basically due to the fact that now my holidays over I am tired and bored, therefore I need to vent some of this frustration. Ironically this rant is aimed at the very things that I usually use to cheer myself up.

I had decided on the journey home that I would be a good little boy scout. Once home I would strategically unpack as I knew I would need to be packing again pretty soon. See I can act responsibly sometimes, not this time however. As when I eventually go home I dumped my stuff in my room and headed straight out for a walk.

The walk unintentionally although not unsurprisingly turned into a trip to the shops which itself turned into looking down the chocolate aisle. Nothing had changed from what I could tell, yet something felt wrong and only upon careful investigation did I discover a discrepancy. However minor in appearance this change may be big enough to change the way I view this world we live in. Okay so maybe not the whole world, but certainly the candy world.

They look so innocent, don't they?

What I saw was the new packaging for kinder surprise eggs, which now come in two varieties blue and pink. On the face of it this isn’t so bad or shocking I suppose. After all a lot of chocolate is clearly aimed at a specific gender like new Crispello’s which has been created with the calorie conscious woman in PR people’s minds. Yorkie has always had the motto it’s not for girls but this was a clear tongue in cheek marketing ploy. Then there is character chocolates like Hello Kitty, however technically either gender can enjoy as the difference is only the outside wrapper.

Kinder’s change is more though with your choice of colour affecting that famous surprise inside. With blue containing what could be thought of as a “boy’s toy” and pink “girl’s toy’s”.  This angers and unsettles me on perhaps an over the top level, but to me I see it as the company defining what they believe the different sexes enjoy. I know that really the choice is still up to the child but we know that at that age children often already know their “corresponding colour”.

I bought one of each of the colours to see the ranges on offer; perhaps it won’t be too different. I was wrong in the pink egg I found a lock and key type toy. My thought is it’s meant to be like a padlock for a diary or some kind of small box. The leaflet advises the owner to wear the key on a friggin pink bow round their wrists. It’s decorated with sparkles, rainbows and stars and just feels wrong.  The boy’s egg contained a small Hot Wheels car but apart from typical racetrack type deco was rather gender unspecific.  I guess you can argue that at least it will stop some disappointment you had with the old random style when you’d get a toy from a range not really meant for you. However what happens when a shop runs out of blue, how does a Kinder lover get his fix if his colours gone?

The girls range is the most unnerving I think. What do you think?

Kinder aren’t the only one however, Muller corners now have a children’s range that feels that different packaging doesn’t quite cut it. Offering a girl range featuring pink hearts and strawberry yoghurt and boys range with footballs and vanilla yoghurt. I’d like to point out here that I hate football, but I do have a heart (there are those who say differently). It’s a worrying trend especially when the changes go beyond the packaging and affect the product beneath.

Perhaps I am overacting after all most industries use gender targeting, but the food industry? Surely if there is somewhere when gender should have no impact it’s in what we eat. Especially with the gender history it already has. We need to move on from labelling in general and we have progressed so far already. However to me this is a step backwards and an unnecessary one too.

Muller have since released this variety too!

Overall it’s a mistake on Kinder’s part I believe and we shall see if any backlash will occur. What do you guys think? I urge you to comment below. Tell me your opinion or tweet me I don’t mind so long as I know your there.