It’s a little known fact that I’ve had the Spice Girls stored in my closet for over ten years. Captured in the very peak of their heyday, the Girls have rested undisturbed, carefully sealed against the ravages of time. But like all pop phenomenons, time had its way with them despite my best efforts at preservation.

Mummy-like in their dessication, some still recognizable, others collapsed into a fine powder, I finally threw the light of day upon them to share my secret with the world. Then I’ll toss them away. After all, we’re moving, and some things just have to be parted with – even former global pop superstars.

I’m speaking of course, of the Cadbury “Spice Girls” line of chocolate bars.

Judging from the copyright year on the labels, I must have squirreled these away in 1998. I know this won’t do anything to undermine my reputation as a pack rat, but saving entire chocolate bars really was an extreme exception. I did it on a whim, and on the suspicion that there would be some retro kitsch value to them before long. Of course, it didn’t take years for that to happen, but the chocolate bars – each formed in a relief-sculpted likeness of one of the Girls – remained tucked away.

Now that I’ve photographed them, I’ve tossed all but one actual chocolate bar (I am keeping the labels). And who knows? They may yet turn out to be collector’s items and fund a luxurious retirement. Only another twenty years to go…

So enjoy this photo gallery of the strange, outrageous, milk-chocolatey goodness that is: “Spice Girls” Chocolate Bars!