News

Bassett's: The Company Behind Liquorice Allsort...

How a Sheffield wine merchant's firm ended up inventing two of Britain's best-known sweets, one of them by accident.

Parma Violets: The History of the UK's Floral-F...

Parma Violets divide a room faster than almost any other sweet in the UK — but long before anyone was arguing about whether they taste like soap, they weren't even...

Anglo Bubbly: The History of the UK's Classic B...

A chewy, brightly wrapped bubblegum bar that's stayed a penny-sweet shelf regular for decades. The history of Anglo Confectionery's Bubbly.

Black Bullets: The Traditional Scottish Hard Mi...

A traditional Scottish boiled sweet, dark and strongly minted, that's stayed a corner-shop and seaside staple for generations.

The Whistle Lollipop: Why This Novelty Sweet Ac...

How the whistle lollipop's flat, holed shape turns a hard-boiled sweet into a working instrument, and why it's stayed a fairground and penny-sweet favourite for generations.

Novelty Candy Jewellery: The History of Candy R...

Candy rings, edible necklaces and pressed-sugar bracelets — the history behind the candy jewellery aisle, from 1970s Ring Pop to Britain's own Swizzels versions.