A survey has revealed the UK’s favourite pick ‘n’ mix sweets and that we are a nation who likes to get value for money when it comes to choosing them.
When I was young being in Woolies (Woolworths) and annoying your mum enough to let you have some pick ‘n’ mix was a rite of passage.
Ensuring you got as many of your favourites as possible into the cup and maximising the use of space available was key to a successful pick ‘n’ mix mission – filling up the cracks with the smaller sweets such as chocolate raisins was a key part of my strategy.
And new research has revealed that 37% prefer the sweets from a pick ’n’ mix to any other types of sweets. We also eat more sweets during the winter as we look to comfort ourselves in the colder season.
The French Bedroom Company has looked at our habits when it comes to eating sweets and snacks at home, finding out our food habits when it comes to consuming treats.
Reminiscing
During October everyone’s hopes were up when the rumour mill falsely went into overdrive as a number of stories hinted that Woolworths was opening again, many took to Twitter to reminisce about the classic pick ‘n’ mix stand Brits used to indulge in their youth. Since then, online retailer Very has even started selling the Woolworths ‘pick n mix’ which is priced at £15.99.
Reminiscing on the past, The French Bedroom Company, asked Brits to rank the popular pick ‘n’ mix selection based on both taste and value for money.
Fried eggs came out on top, ahead of fizzy bubblegum bottles and flying saucers in third place. Sour cherries were fourth followed by lips, milk chocolate gems and sour dummies. Fizzy cola bottles came in eighth place ahead of the watermelon slice and jelly crocodiles.
Research also found that 65% choose sweets over chocolate when it comes to selecting treats – and a whopping 86% have a process to ensure they maximise the number of sweets they can fit in for the best cost.
Further proof that pick ‘n’ mix buyers are savvy when it comes to choosing their sweets is seen by almost half of those surveyed stating they don’t like to place fudge in their pot as it takes up to much space and weighs it down too heavily.
And 23% of Brits pick up the flying saucers as their first sweet to place in their pot with the main reason being that they squash down well.
Sweet and sour
Georgia Metcalfe, co-founder and creative director at The French Bedroom Company, said: “In light of our poll results, a divide between sweet and sour palettes is clear, as well as a heated debate around the chocolate selection.
“We know this always causes a discussion in our home, leaving us having to buy more pick ‘n’ mix to suit the family’s taste.
“We advise that although we’re a nation of sweet tooths, try to avoid chocolate in the bed sheets as although sugary sweets can be easily washed out, chocolate can often stain and damage bed linen!”
Read more about local confectioners…