Kinder Surprise Eggs...now in the US?

[ghouldilocks]

Pretty sure they're still illegal to import, unless the packaging has changed or maybe the law has been amended to where the import tax is higher for liability. I haven't seen any news updates or online buzz about them being legal now.

[Wardah]

I think the "Joy" ones are legal since the toy is separate from the chocolate. Sometimes import stores get away with selling things that are technically illegal. The Asian market near me had Furuta chocolate eggs with Pokémon figures inside.

[tulagirl]

You are super lucky to find those even if they are over priced.  People take risks that I could never take.  If they get caught they are going to be in so much trouble and financially they could really lose their business just in fines alone.  Lets just hope maybe they don't know they are illegal.  They still are.

[banditpony]

One of the malls near me also carried them about a year ago. It was at a candy/snack kiosk, right in the front entrance. Not sure if they still have them since I rarely go there.

[princessluna11706]

I used to buy them at a deli in Manhattan, and yeah, they were being sold illegally I'm sure ;

[CustomsRfun]

If anyone wants some, i can send them over from Belgium, they're SO common here...

[Noxxbunny]

I think the "Joy" ones are legal since the toy is separate from the chocolate. Sometimes import stores get away with selling things that are technically illegal. The Asian market near me had Furuta chocolate eggs with Pokémon figures inside.

Gonna agree with this. Now that I thought about it, the only ones I've seen are Kinder Joys. No Kinder Surprise. The ones i see ALL have the outer tab thingy on the side or on the top. Which from what I gather, makes them legal on some sort of technicality, I guess. Weird.

Edit; Or maybe customs just don't care anymore lol. I guess they are still illegal... But I'm seeing them all over lately even though I had never seen a single one before in my life until this year. Watch out for that lawsuit, Party City... Lol. They're probably not selling too well at $5 per egg though.

[Wardah]

I think the "Joy" ones are legal since the toy is separate from the chocolate. Sometimes import stores get away with selling things that are technically illegal. The Asian market near me had Furuta chocolate eggs with Pokémon figures inside.

Gonna agree with this. Now that I thought about it, the only ones I've seen are Kinder Joys. No Kinder Surprise. The ones i see ALL have the outer tab thingy on the side or on the top. Which from what I gather, makes them legal on some sort of technicality, I guess. Weird.

Edit; Or maybe customs just don't care anymore lol. I guess they are still illegal... But I'm seeing them all over lately even though I had never seen a single one before in my life until this year. Watch out for that lawsuit, Party City... Lol. They're probably not selling too well at $5 per egg though.

The rule is that candy can't fully surround a non food item. That's how the Yowwies are allowed to be sold since they have a ridge that is visible. Joys are 100% legal since the candy is in a separate compartment from the toy.

[Noxxbunny]

I think the "Joy" ones are legal since the toy is separate from the chocolate. Sometimes import stores get away with selling things that are technically illegal. The Asian market near me had Furuta chocolate eggs with Pokémon figures inside.

Gonna agree with this. Now that I thought about it, the only ones I've seen are Kinder Joys. No Kinder Surprise. The ones i see ALL have the outer tab thingy on the side or on the top. Which from what I gather, makes them legal on some sort of technicality, I guess. Weird.

Edit; Or maybe customs just don't care anymore lol. I guess they are still illegal... But I'm seeing them all over lately even though I had never seen a single one before in my life until this year. Watch out for that lawsuit, Party City... Lol. They're probably not selling too well at $5 per egg though.

The rule is that candy can't fully surround a non food item. That's how the Yowwies are allowed to be sold since they have a ridge that is visible. Joys are 100% legal since the candy is in a separate compartment from the toy.

I agree that the legality makes sense to me. But all I'm getting in google results are the typical "yes, kinder joys are still illegal" buuuut, i can't find any dated 2016. They're all 2015 and earlier. I'm still leaning on them being legal too. I just find it hard to believe that something apparently so illegal and high on fines would just be all over the place like they are lately and so suddenly. They just sort of flooded into stores in this area this year. And on top of that... It would be weird for them to be $5 everywhere if they were part of some candy black market lol. That seems like a set retail price. Because of all that, I assumed there was a law change.

Now if they'll just bring the price down... I'm in. i'd only pay the $5 if we got the MLP ones. Maybe just once. I haven't had a candy like a Kinder egg since WonderBall was a thing.

[ghouldilocks]

Spoiler

I think the "Joy" ones are legal since the toy is separate from the chocolate. Sometimes import stores get away with selling things that are technically illegal. The Asian market near me had Furuta chocolate eggs with Pokémon figures inside.

Gonna agree with this. Now that I thought about it, the only ones I've seen are Kinder Joys. No Kinder Surprise. The ones i see ALL have the outer tab thingy on the side or on the top. Which from what I gather, makes them legal on some sort of technicality, I guess. Weird.

Edit; Or maybe customs just don't care anymore lol. I guess they are still illegal... But I'm seeing them all over lately even though I had never seen a single one before in my life until this year. Watch out for that lawsuit, Party City... Lol. They're probably not selling too well at $5 per egg though.

The rule is that candy can't fully surround a non food item. That's how the Yowwies are allowed to be sold since they have a ridge that is visible. Joys are 100% legal since the candy is in a separate compartment from the toy.

I agree that the legality makes sense to me. But all I'm getting in google results are the typical "yes, kinder joys are still illegal" buuuut, i can't find any dated 2016. They're all 2015 and earlier. I'm still leaning on them being legal too. I just find it hard to believe that something apparently so illegal and high on fines would just be all over the place like they are lately and so suddenly. They just sort of flooded into stores in this area this year. And on top of that... It would be weird for them to be $5 everywhere if they were part of some candy black market lol. That seems like a set retail price. Because of all that, I assumed there was a law change.

Now if they'll just bring the price down... I'm in. i'd only pay the $5 if we got the MLP ones. Maybe just once. I haven't had a candy like a Kinder egg since WonderBall was a thing.
[/quote]

Yeah, Kinder Joy is legal, because the toy capsule is clearly visible before eating the chocolate, whereas the Kinder Surprise has the toy capsule completely surrounded, hidden by the chocolate. *shrug*

I also don't know if I can agree with them being "all over the place," personally, since I've yet to see even one, even in import shops and shops with import sections (which we visit pretty frequently, since my mom is an expat). I'll have to keep an eye out in case they start popping up here, though. It's possible California is just more lax than Texas, idk.

I wouldn't spend $5 on one candy, though; that's pretty steep haha, I wouldn't be surprised if they were charging that higher rate to offset not only taxes, but also to help offset fines if they get caught importing banned substance. 

[Noxxbunny]

Yeah, Kinder Joy is legal, because the toy capsule is clearly visible before eating the chocolate, whereas the Kinder Surprise has the toy capsule completely surrounded, hidden by the chocolate. *shrug*

I also don't know if I can agree with them being "all over the place," personally, since I've yet to see even one, even in import shops and shops with import sections (which we visit pretty frequently, since my mom is an expat). I'll have to keep an eye out in case they start popping up here, though. It's possible California is just more lax than Texas, idk.

I wouldn't spend $5 on one candy, though; that's pretty steep haha, I wouldn't be surprised if they were charging that higher rate to offset not only taxes, but also to help offset fines if they get caught importing banned substance. 

Sorry, to clarify, I meant all over in this area of CA. Because I also went to never seeing one in my life to seeing them in like...3 different stores within a short timeframe. Only one of which was an import candy shop(also at a mall like OP.) I think the third was a grocery store or something similar, but I can't recall which one at the moment. I've sort of been brushing past them like "Oh hey, a Kinder egg. Neat." but not really being super interested because of the price and lack of character toy stuff in them. I haven't seen any with characters on them.

It's pretty plausible that we're more lax here too. We do tend to have a lot of imported candy from various places just hanging out in chain grocery stores like Walmart and Safeway here.

But yeah, I agree...$5 for one is a lot. I'm going back to the mall where they have these this weekend...I'm curious to see how much of a ripoff their Kinder Santa chocolate is here. Seems people here could tell me!

[tulagirl]

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_107.html

[melodys_angel]

If anyone wants some, i can send them over from Belgium, they're SO common here...

Hun, not a good idea if they are illegal there still.  You and the person you send them to can both get in trouble if customs finds out.

Its crazy, I know, but that's how it is at the moment I think.

[Pokeyonekenobie]

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_107.html

I love how it says you may unknowing choke on the object.  Do they mean that huge yellow capsule that has the toy inside?  Seriously?  If they're "unknowingly" choking on that, then they must have an enormous mouth.

[CustomsRfun]

Hun, not a good idea if they are illegal there still.  You and the person you send them to can both get in trouble if customs finds out.

If i don't put a return address, good luck for them to find me, eh , it's not like they're gonna put the Feds or the CSI on the matter