Easter: the celebration of perseverance, hardship and undying faith. Or so it was. The resurrection of Christ now grapples under a new purpose: the garnering of profit where joy lies not in the holy saviour, but empty supermarket shelves. Once a binding event of remembrance, now neatly ribboned into a myriad of vibrant chocolate eggs, tightly sealed under the cellophane wrapper of commercialisation. 

Previously Easter’s message was clear: the power of God and faith, yet now it’s message seems to be sown economically, from wielding profit to securing future businesses. The familiarity of products such as Easter eggs, stopping us from questioning what the real motive is behind them. 

The chocolate industry in fact one thriving in poverty, malnutrition and gender inequality. With 95 tons of cholate consumed every second, companies such as nestle, and Mars, and Mondelez international harvest a net worth of more than 45 billion dollars a year in confectionary sales. Yet, these rise in sales has not translated into a better life for more than 5.5 million small scale farmers who supply 90 % of cocoa used by major food companies, with most workers living below the poverty line. 

Women in fact suffering substantial discrimination and inequality, with female counterparts getting paid substantially less in an already poverty inducing industry. Agnes Gabriel for example, a 37-year-old migrant worker in Nigeria gets paid 3 dollars for a day’s work on a cocoa farm, less than half of her male counterparts. Are we then, by purchasing these products, contradicting the ethos of Christianity and the sole purpose of Easter: no matter situation you are in, the bonds of faith and love from God and his son, will overcome then.

This almost echoes the fact that only one in four children, in a survey targeting 804 children in Britain, could state why Easter is celebrated. More than 71% of parents with children 3 to 16 indicated even, that they didn’t think their child had ever heard, seen or read the story of Easter. Clearly, this haze of economic gain has shrouded the real purpose to such an extent that even the story let alone the symbolism of the holiday is unknown. 

One could argue, this commercialistaion has brought the celebration of Christianity to light to people of other faith. However what use is this attention, if the message has become buried beneath the weight of advertisements and products. Thus not drawing to light the morals of Christianity but the warped purpose of businesses directed by profit, irrespective of poverty and inequality.

Clearly, Easter has been moulded by commercialisation. The message wrapped up in a haze of chocolate and business, to still feign the exploration of Christ’s resurrection. Only when we unwrap this shining egg of deceit however, do we see the real motive behind these advertisements and items. One not even vibrant paint and coloured foil can hide. 

Vanessa Gardy,

William Perkin CofE high school