As Valentine's Day ends, shops start preparing for the next chocolate filled holiday in the calendar - Easter. Traditionally filled with hot cross buns, bunnies and of course chocolate eggs.
M&S has launched their twist on the classic chocolate egg with a '24 Carrot Gold' Egg this year, which is shaped not like an egg but a carrot.
The carrot is "made from golden blond chocolate before being coated in edible gold leaf" and is filled with salted caramel bunny ears.
M&S's Easter announcement quickly attracted commenters who pointed out that the carrot could be misconstrued for something more suited for Valentine's Day.
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Marks and Spencer launch new Plant Kitchen items including pizza, cake and curry"So, who's ready to start talking about Easter? Introducing our new eggs-ellent '23 carrot gold' egg!" read the M&S announcement post.
The carrot-egg retails for £9 and is available on shelves across the UK now - all 140g of chocolate covered in gold leaf, filled with salted caramel bunnies.
"Who on earth thought that 'carrot' was a good idea, are you certain it isn't a Valentine's 'top shelf' item?!" asked one user on M&S's Instagram announcement.
Another joked: "Am I the only one looking at that carrot with raised eyebrows !!!?"
"That looks so wrong!" said a third, while another shocked customer added: "Had to look twice at the ears, my mind took me in a very different direction!!"
"Looking like an advert for Ann Summers! I thought you were better than this M&S," commented someone else.
Others were a little more outraged at the chocolate, as one disgruntled customer wrote: "Seriously?????? Nearly as horrible as the Valentines sausage …. Come on M&S you are better than this."
"Oh M&S that's just vile - surely it's an early April Fool," commented another, while a third simply said: "Looks disgusting."
Moving away from the look of the design, some commenters called upon rival supermarket Aldi, saying the carrot looked familiar to Kevin the Carrot.
One user wrote: "Kevin has taken up residence elsewhere!! Aldi, are you on it??" and another added: "Kevin?? Is that you ?"
Full list of January sales including up to 80% off Asos, M&S and John LewisEver the prankster on social media, Aldi was fast to respond to the M&S carrot and asked: "Which lawyers did you use to sue us for that gin? Asking for us."
Lots of comments just felt the Easter launch came too soon, with one person writing: "What happened to Mothers Day before Easter M&S!!!!"
Some took the post at face value and one innocent commenter said: "Oh my goodness I have to get this for my son who loves carrots (and of course chocolate)."