The UK's major supermarket chains have given in to pressure to stock a religious-themed Easter egg.

Church leaders and consumers have lobbied the supermarkets for the last three years to sell the Real Easter Egg.

The Easter egg is made by the Meaningful Chocolate Company and out of the 80 million eggs on sale in the UK, is the only one to explain the religious significance of Easter on the box.

This year, it is the only charity Easter egg, with around £60,000 from sales to be donated to Traidcraft.

The supermarkets turned down the Real Easter Egg when it first came on the market but the company went on to sell more than 250,000 through mail order.

Tesco has the biggest supply of the eggs across its stores this Easter, while the other chains are selling them only in selected outlets.

Despite this, the Meaningful Chocolate Company's David Marshall is hailing the supermarkets' decision to stock them as a "great breakthrough".

"Our aim is to change the Easter egg market forever by making it more spiritual, more generous and more faithful. This is a great breakthrough – there are Real Easter Eggs available in some stores but quantities will vary," he said.

The campaign to change the minds of retailers was supported by the Bishop of Hereford, the Right Reverend Anthony Priddis.

He said: "I wrote to the supermarkets last year encouraging them to stock The Real Easter Egg. I am delighted they have taken the challenge seriously.

"I encourage shoppers to hunt out a Real Easter Egg and complain if they are not being stocked."

Find out where your nearest stockist is at http://www.realeasteregg.co.uk/google-real-easter-egg-hunter.php