"Penny sweets" haven't cost a penny in decades, but genuinely cheap sweets — sold individually rather than in a multipack — are still easy to find if you know where to look.
Why penny-sweet pricing still exists
The sweets that stay cheapest are the ones with simple recipes and minimal packaging — pressed sweets, boiled sweets and small individual bags cost little to produce compared with a branded, foil-wrapped multipack. That's why classics like Parma Violets have stayed affordable while newer branded formats have crept up in price.
Best under-£1 options by format
- Single pocket money bags — our pocket money collection is built for exactly this price point, and works well for lunchboxes or a small treat.
- Individual novelty rolls — giant Parma Violets and similar pressed sweets from our pick n mix range are sold as low-cost single rolls as well as in bulk.
- Small chew bags — individual bags of fruit chews are typically priced around or just over a pound, and are worth comparing against the pocket money range for the closest match under £1.
Stretching a budget further with bulk
If you need a lot of sweets under a pound each — a school fair, a classroom, a big party bag order — buying a bulk bag and portioning it yourself works out far cheaper per sweet than buying dozens of individually priced single bags. The unit cost drops noticeably once you're buying by the kilogram rather than the bag.
Frequently asked questions
Can you still buy sweets for under £1?
Yes — individually wrapped pocket money sweets and small single bags are commonly priced under a pound.
What are the best penny-sweet-style sweets today?
Classic pressed and boiled sweets like Parma Violets, plus small individual bags of chews and gums, which stay cheap thanks to simple recipes and packaging.
Where can I buy cheap sweets in bulk?
A bulk bag works out cheapest per sweet — the cost per 100g drops significantly compared with buying the same sweet in small individual bags.