The sales of Easter eggs over the coming days will give a massive annual spike to chocolate consumption – far exceeding demand at either Christmas time or Valentine’s Day.

Easter Eggs - it's all in the shape that makes them so tempting for consumers

Easter Eggs – it’s all in the shape that makes them so tempting for consumers Image by RichardBH / CC BY 2.0

And the explanation for it may have all to do with the shape of the eggs. Mr Bernard Lahousse, one of the world’s foremost food scientists believes that the reason Easter eggs taste better than ordinary bars of chocolate is down to how the curve of the egg give us an intense whiff of chocolate as we bite into it initially.

Mail Online reported the expert as saying this enhanced the pleasure sensors for the person consuming the egg. The taste anticipation was further added to by the unique cracking sound made as we bite into the hollow egg. He also pointed to the unwrapping thrill on Easter Egg packaging as comparable to the excitement children get when breaking into their piggy banks. Mr Lahousse claimed as well that, there was a residual feeling associated with childhood where Easter provided positive memories.

MailOnline explained that the research was commissioned by Tesco, who themselves were seeking to comprehend the psychology surrounding the taste of Easter eggs and why the chocolate seemed to taste better than regular bars.