East Kilbride's population was 76,607 at the 2022 Scotland's Census — making it Scotland's sixth-largest town, and its first officially designated New Town, created on 6 May 1947.
Scotland's first New Town, and the shortbread at its opening
East Kilbride was designated Scotland's first New Town in 1947, and its shopping centre — now known simply as EK — opened in stages from 1959, eventually growing into Scotland's biggest undercover shopping centre across five linked malls: the Plaza, Princes Square, Princes Mall, Southgate and the Olympia. When Prime Minister Harold Macmillan formally opened the centre on 1 May 1959, his wife Lady Dorothy visited one of the new sweet shops and left with a tartan box of shortbread — a nice footnote for what was, at the time, one of the most modern retail developments in Scotland.
Today EK's five malls hold the full range of high-street names, sweets and confectionery included — but they're set up the same way any shopping-centre unit is: for a bag bought in person, not a bulk order.
What a shopping centre doesn't stock
Bulk bags, vegan-specific ranges, halal-friendly selections and full trade cases for an event or a business aren't something a shopping-centre unit is set up to hold in stock.
Why East Kilbride shoppers order online anyway
For anything beyond a shopping-centre bag, ordering online and having it delivered is the more consistent option, with no trip into the centre required.
25,000+ customers, and counting
We've served over 25,000 customers UK-wide, East Kilbride included, with most orders dispatched within 1-2 business days. The range covers pick 'n' mix by the bag and tub, bulk bags from 1kg to 3kg, trade cases for events and businesses, vegan and halal-friendly sweets, retro favourites, and full chocolate ranges from the major brands.
Frequently asked questions
Do you deliver sweets to East Kilbride?
Yes — UK-wide, including East Kilbride, with most orders dispatched in 1-2 business days.
Is there sweet-shop history in East Kilbride?
Yes — at the Plaza's 1959 opening, Lady Dorothy Macmillan visited a new sweet shop and left with a box of shortbread. Retail stores today, not bulk suppliers.
Can I buy bulk or wholesale sweets in East Kilbride?
Not from the shopping centre — we deliver bulk bags, multipacks and trade cases direct to East Kilbride addresses instead.
Browse Pick 'n' Mix and Bulk Bags.