10 of our favourite retro British sweets

Blackberry and Raspberry Sweets

These mini blackberry and raspberry sweets offer a classic fruity choice amongst all of the sugary, sour and chocolate options. Many versions now don't seem to get them quite right, sometimes adding crunchy bits or too much gelatin, resulting in a too chewy sweet. The classic version of these sweets can typically be found in retro sweet shops.

"Candy Heaven"by foxypar4 is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Bassett's Dip Dabs Sherbet & Lolly

These divisive sweets have been around since the 1940s. Whether you think they taste like soap or you love their powdery texture and floral smell, they’re undeniably recognisable by their unique lavender colour. In 2016, the company Swizzles created a limited edition Parma Violets cheese to celebrate the sweet’s 70th birthday, but the less said about that the better.

"More British imports"by Ruth and Dave is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Parma Violets

These divisive sweets have been around since the 1940s. Whether you think they taste like soap or you love their powdery texture and floral smell, they’re undeniably recognisable by their unique lavender colour. In 2016, the company Swizzles created a limited edition Parma Violets cheese to celebrate the sweet’s 70th birthday, but the less said about that the better.

"#98/365 - Parma Violets" by abooth202 is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

Candy Sticks

Candy Sticks, made of chalky sugar, were a firm favourite for an after school treat. The character boxes, featuring Spiderman, Batman, Hello Kitty – or the trustee original – had us all in awe, as we got more than we bargained for 50p. It included a free water tattoo and reputable playground status as you were deemed cool enough to eat them. The original candy sticks were banned internationally for resembling cigarettes but it didn't stop us pretending before our parents or teachers told us off!

Joe Loong // Flickr

Cadbury Money Box

A firm British classic, Cadbury created a chocolate dispensing money box that could be bought in the iconic Argos catalogue in the 90s and early 00s. It was such a simple concept but always produced great joy as you got individually wrapped chocolates if you inserted 2p. Now discontinued, the Money Box is a distant memory but was a clear example of saving made easy. Who needs an ISA when you can save the Cadbury way!

"Cadury's Chocolate Machine money box"by unloveablesteve is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Pez 

Pez is the brand name of a popular tablet candy that is most commonly known for their manual candy dispensers. The candy is a pressed, dry, curved-corner block that has a variety of flavours. It was the variety that made this sweet desirable, as there was a character for everyone from Supermario to Winnie the Pooh and you could collect them or refill the dispenser with new sweets if you wanted to. 

Ruth Hartnup // Flickr

KP Choc Dips 

This was the original chocolate and breadstick combo and the blue tub was the perfect ending to school day as you always had more dip left at the end. You could choose between milk or white chocolate and it usually came up to 70p. You can still get these today, although you are more likely to see the Nutella version on your shelves – but KP Choc sticks will forever be remembered as the OG.

Buh Snarf// Flickr

Campino

These hard candies could often be found in the homes of older relatives but would always go down a treat whenever you were able to have them! Utilising a combination of yoghurt and fruits, your mouth would burst into an explosion of flavour once you reached the gooey centre of the sweet. Until 2007, only two flavours were available: strawberry (a.k.a the correct flavour) and summer fruits – though cherry and peach flavours round out the Campino complement. Although they have been discontinued in the UK, you may be able to find these sweets online! 

"Sweetness and Light (53/365)"by lacygentlywaftingcurtains is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Flying Saucers

Another older sweet, Flying Saucers had an iconic shape that made them instantly recognisable whenever you saw them. A familiar favourite for the British public, Flying Saucers have also been noted as a popular vegan sweet. Filled with sherbet and made from rice paper, their fizzy contents could often leave you screwing up your face as a result of the sour taste. That said, it never deterred anyone from trying to see how many Flying Saucers they could fit in their mouth in one go!

"Cosmic Flying Sherbert Saucers"by eek the cat is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0

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