SUPERMARKET shelves are lined with chocolate eggs emblazoned with bunnies or chicks in the run up to Easter - but has our obsession with sugar taken over the true meaning of the holiday?

When children are quick to grab their egg, unwrap the foil and tuck in, are they really thinking about the religious meaning behind it?

Similar to the situation of Lent, has the commercial aspect of a pancake taken over what is meant to be a time of religious reflection, fasting while thinking about the sacrifices that Jesus made while he fasted in the desert for 40 days?

Instead of this, people opt to give up crisps and chocolate for a few weeks in the hopes of shedding a few inches off their waistlines.

A row broke out recently between Prime Minister Theresa May and chocolate maker Cadbury over the decision to drop the word “Easter” from promotional images for an egg hunt which it runs in partnership with the National Trust across the country.

PM May branded the decision “absolutely ridiculous” but Cadbury stated that Easter was very much part of the event.

The chocolate giant defended its actions, saying the Easter message was a clear part of the promotion.

A spokeswoman for Cadbury said: “It is clear to see that within our communications we visibly state the word Easter.

“It is included a number of times across promotional materials, including our website and even embossed on many of the eggs themselves.

“Our Easter Egg packaging also carries the word Easter and these products are only available at this special time of the year.

“Our Easter partnership with the National Trust is also synonymous with Easter and we make it clear throughout materials that it is an egg hunt, for families, at Easter.”

The National Trust, which has been running the annual egg hunt with Cadbury for 10 years, declined to address the Prime Minister’s claims directly.

But a spokesman said of the claims: “Nothing could be further from the truth.

“We host a huge programme of events, activities and walks to bring families together to celebrate this very special time of year.

“A casual glance at our website will see dozens of references to Easter throughout.”

In Somerset, The Rt Rev Ruth Worsley, Bishop of Taunton, says she sees no problems with the eggs being used to promote the Easter message, as the eggs provide symbolism to the story of Jesus’s sacrifice.

She said: “I was with a three-year-old on Saturday who kept asking the question ‘Why?’. It is indicative of the curiosity of a child and also, I believe, of a culture seeking to recover meaning.

“In the last few days we’ve seen a media storm over the use of the word ‘Easter’ in traditional Easter egg hunts.

“But why do we have chocolate eggs as a symbol of the story of Easter at all? Many see the shape of the egg as representative of the stone which sealed the tomb in which Jesus was laid after his death. And that the resurrection of Jesus saw a breaking open of that tomb. An egg is a symbol of life which when cracked open leaves an empty shell and offers life-giving possibilities from what is inside.

“So why chocolate eggs? Well after all the self-denial of Lent which began with pancakes, (the using up of all the eggs in the larder, to make way for the fast,) what better way to celebrate than to feast on a favourite treat.

“Those of us who are Christians recognise Easter as the great love story of God to the world. It is when God demonstrated through an act of self-sacrifice how much He cares for us. The story of his sharing in the experiences of humanity, suffering a cruel death and then bringing the opportunity of life beyond that is what the Christian faith is all about.

“In the Diocese of Bath and Wells we want to share that story, to live and tell our own stories of faith in response to God’s immense love for us. And I for one am happy to break open an egg with you in order to do so.”

Many events take place across the county throughout the Easter holidays, including egg hunts, raffles, and Easter trails. Many schools and preschools host events to raise money and to kick start the holidays. But is this just an easy, and sometimes free, way to occupy the children during the two-week break?

King's College chaplain Father Mark said: "Easter is the major Christian festival of the year, not Christmas as many would think.  The excitement about chocolate eggs is a way to highlight the symbols of new life and hope, which underlie what we believe Jesus has done for the whole world – not only Christians.

"He did this, we believe, when he died as an innocent victim on the cross and then  rose again to new life. Just like when we plant seeds in the spring, the seeds rot in the ground, but from them emerges from the ground, new life. 

"Because this festival is at the heart of our faith we keep the Easter story firmly at the centre of the fun celebrations every Easter."