Sweets have a reputation for lasting forever, and unopened, they mostly do. The problems start the moment a bag is opened and left somewhere it shouldn't be.
It's humidity, not time
Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it actively draws moisture out of the air around it. That's the mechanism behind almost every sweet-storage problem: a jelly sweet left in a humid kitchen absorbs moisture and turns sticky; a boiled sweet or a liquorice sweet can go the other way and turn hard and dull as its own moisture migrates out. Neither is really about the sweet "going off" — it's a moisture exchange with the room it's sitting in.
Reseal properly, every time
The single biggest factor is how well the bag or tub is closed between uses. A loosely folded bag top does very little; decanting into an airtight container, or using a proper bag clip, makes the difference between a bag lasting weeks in good condition and one turning sticky within days. Our tubs already come in a resealable format for this reason — worth reusing even after the original contents are finished.
Keep them cool, not cold
A cupboard away from direct sunlight and away from any heat source — an oven, a radiator, a sunny windowsill — is the right environment. Avoid the fridge: it's a genuinely humid environment, and the temperature swing every time the door opens and closes causes condensation on the sweets themselves, which is the opposite of what you want. Room temperature, dry, and out of direct light is the simple version.
Different sweets fail differently
- Jelly and gummy sweets — the main risk is sticking together as they absorb moisture. Keep sealed and check periodically if stored long-term.
- Liquorice — can dry out and firm up over time even sealed, since it has a lower moisture content to begin with, though this is a gradual texture change rather than a safety issue.
- Marshmallows — particularly prone to hardening if the bag is left open, since they lose surface moisture quickly once exposed to air.
Buying in bulk without waste
If you've bought a large bulk bag, decanting a working portion into a smaller airtight jar or tub and keeping the rest sealed in the original bag is the most practical approach — you're only exposing what you'll actually get through in the next week or two to open air, while the bulk of the bag stays properly sealed and lasts far longer.
Frequently asked questions
Can sweets go off?
Not in a food-safety sense — low moisture and high sugar make them a poor environment for bacteria. Best-before dates are about texture and flavour rather than safety.
Why do sweets go hard or sticky?
Humidity, almost always. Sugar draws moisture from the air, so an improperly sealed bag will either dry out or turn sticky depending on conditions.
Should sweets go in the fridge?
No — fridges are humid and cause condensation on the sweets. A cool, dry cupboard is a better choice.