The head office of supermarket group Jumbo has banned its affiliate stores from selling pepernoten – the tiny ginger biscuits associated with the December Sinterklaas festivities – too early.

Several stores in the north of the country put the biscuits on sale at the beginning of this month, which led to dozens of complaints, news website nu.nl reported on Wednesday.
High street chemist chain Kruidvat is also selling the biscuits, nu.nl says.
Nu.nl says this is the earliest Sinterklaas products have gone on sale. Total spending on pepernoten, chocolate letters and other Sint sweets reaches some €40m a year.