History of chocolates and sweets in the 1950s in the UK, including a list of 9 iconic sweets and chocolates that were introduced during the decade, such as Bounty, Picknic, Drumsticks, Love Hearts or Caramac (now sadly discontinued). The 1950s also saw many of the popular sweets and chocolate bars from 1930s and 1940s to come back after the war.
The 1950s was a significant decade for sweets and chocolate in the UK, marked by the end of rationing and the emergence of new confectionery products. The end of World War II in 1945 and the subsequent lifting of rationing saw a gradual return of sweets and chocolates to the shelves. Sweet rationing, which had been in place since 1942, did not end until 4th February 1953.
Some of the famous sweets from the 1950s included classics like Polo Mints (introduced in 1948), Parma Violets (1948), and Love Hearts by Swizzels Matlow, as well as Mars Bars and Dairy Milk chocolate by Cadbury already in production before 1950s.
The 1950s in the UK were characterized by post-war recovery under the leadership of Prime Ministers such as Clement Attlee (Labour, until 1951) and Winston Churchill (Conservative, 1951-1955), followed by Anthony Eden and Harold Macmillan. The Conservative Party was in power for the majority of the 1950s, and the period was marked by a focus on rebuilding the nation’s economy and infrastructure after the war.
TRADITIONAL SWEETS & CHOCOLATE HISTORY
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- History of Traditional Sweets in 1920s & 1930s >>
- History of Traditional Sweets in 1940s >>
Sugar & Sweets Rationing
Rationing was introduced during World War II to ensure fair distribution of food and goods, which were in short supply. It continued for several years after the war due to ongoing shortages and the need to stabilize the economy.
Rationing affected many items, including sweets and chocolate. When sweet rationing was lifted in 1953, it was a cause for national celebration, as it marked a return to some normalcy and the availability of previously restricted treats.
The cost of sweets in the 1950s varied, but they were generally affordable and considered a treat for many. With the end of rationing, there was a surge in demand, and confectioners began to innovate and introduce new products to the market.
MORE CHOCOLATE & SWEETS HISTORY
- Wartime Sweets & Chocolates History >>
- Traditional Sweets in 1970s >>
- History of chocolates in 1980s >
1. Love Hearts (1954 – UK)
Love Hearts are a popular British confectionery first introduced in 1954 by Swizzels Matlow, a confectionery manufacturer based in Derbyshire, England.
The sweets are small, tablet-shaped, fizzy candies with a heart shape and a short, love-related message embossed on one side. They come in various fruit flavours and colours.
The messages on Love Hearts have been updated regularly to keep up with contemporary language and social trends. This means that over the decades, Love Hearts have featured messages ranging from the timeless “I Love You” to more modern phrases like “Text Me” and “Swipe Right”.
Love Hearts have been in production since 1954, which means they have been a part of British confectionery culture for over half a century. Swizzels Matlow, the manufacturer of Love Hearts, reportedly makes over 1.75 billion Love Hearts each year.
In 2012, to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, Swizzels Matlow produced a limited edition version of Love Hearts with royal-themed messages such as “National Treasure” and “Corgi Love”.
While Love Hearts are quintessentially British, they have found fans across the world and are exported to over 50 countries.
2. Drumsticks (1957 – UK)
These are chewy lollipops that were originally raspberry and milk-flavored. Drumstick sweets were first produced in 1957 by Swizzels Matlow Ltd, a confectionery manufacturer based in the UK. The company itself has been making sweets since 1928.
The Drumstick lolly is said to have been invented by accident in the 1950s when Trevor Matlow, the son of one of Swizzels-Matlow’s founders, was experimenting with a new machine.
The production process of Drumstick lollies is impressive, with Swizzels Matlow managing to make 120,000 lollies a day. The family-run business Swizzels Matlow is based in New Mills, Derbyshire.
3. Picnic (1958 – UK)
First introduced in the UK in 1958 by Fry’s (later acquired by Cadbury), the Picnic bar is a combination of milk chocolate, caramel, peanuts, raisins, and puffed rice. The Picnic bar has a sibling in Australia, which was first launched in 1950 by MacRobertson’s, before being acquired by Cadbury in 1967.
4. Bazooka Bubble Gum
Bazooka Bubble Gum was first introduced in the United States shortly after World War II in 1947 by the Topps Company Inc, but it didn’t become popular in the UK until the beginning of 1950s.
The gum was named after the “bazooka” musical instrument invented by comedian Bob Burns, which itself was a slang term for the powerful rocket launcher used during the war. It became famous for its small, square-shaped, pink pieces of gum wrapped in distinctive red, white, and blue packaging, initially selling for one penny.
Beginning in 1953, Topps started to include small comic strips with the gum, featuring the character “Bazooka Joe” and his friends. These comics became a staple of the brand and are well-remembered by many who grew up during that era.
One of the most recognizable slogans associated with Bazooka Bubble Gum is “Bazooka, zooka bubble gum,” which was used in television commercials and other advertising media.
5. Pineapple Cubes
Pineapple Cubes are a classic British confectionery boiled sweets, that have a sharp pineapple flavour. Some variations of Pineapple Cubes have a chewy centre, which is a nice contrast to the hard outer layer.
Pineapple Cubes used to be sold in confectionery shops by weight from large jars. They are part of a broader family of boiled sweets that were particularly popular during the mid-20th century, and they remain a nostalgic favourite for many.
6. Jamboree Bag
The Jamboree Bag was a popular British confectionery item particularly during the 1950s and 1960s. It was known for being a mixed bag of sweets and small toys, making it an exciting purchase for children of that era.
Jamboree Bags typically contained a variety of sweets, which could include hard candies, toffees, sherbet, and other confectionery treats.
Alongside the sweets, there would usually be a small toy or novelty item. The type of toy varied, but they were often simple plastic items, such as toy soldiers, whistles, or rings.
The bags were often themed, perhaps with pirates or cowboys, and the toys would match the theme.
Part of the appeal of the Jamboree Bag was the surprise element; children would not know exactly what sweets or toys they would find inside until they opened the bag.
They were a staple of children’s parties and a treat that many looked forward to receiving during outings or as a reward.
While Jamboree Bags in their original form are less common today, the concept has lived on in the form of modern ‘party bags’ or ‘goody bags’ that are given out at children’s birthday parties, containing a mix of small toys and sweets.
7. Spangles
Spangles, manufactured by Mars Ltd, were introduced to the British market in 1948 and they became popular partly due to their availability post-World War II when sweet rationing was still in effect until 1953.
They were square-shaped, fruit-flavored sweets with a distinctive dimple in the center. The sweets were individually wrapped in a clear cellophane, allowing the colour of the sweet to show through, and came in paper packets. Spangles packets had a striped, colourful design which made them stand out.
The original range included a mix of fruit flavours, but over time, Spangles expanded to include various flavour lines, such as ‘Old English’ which featured traditional British flavours like liquorice and mint.
They were marketed with the slogan “The sweet way to go gay!” which, at the time, meant to have a good time.
In the 1970s, their popularity began to wane, and by the early 1980s, Spangles were discontinued. The brand made a brief comeback in the 1990s but unfortunately was not successful enough to warrant a permanent return.
TRADITIONAL SWEETS HISTORY
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8. Bounty
A taste of paradise? Yes, we’re talking about Bounty. Remember the tv advert asking if you are a Bounty Hunter? Moist tender coconut covered in rich dark chocolate. But it wasn’t always that way.
Initially, when Bounty was first introduced in 1951, it was only available in milk chocolate. The milk chocolate bar comes in a coral blue wrapper, while dark chocolate is in a red wrapper. Made by Mars, over the years, there seem to have been limited editions featuring other tropical ingredients, Such as cherry, in Australia, mango in parts of Europe and even pineapple in Russia.
9. Caramac
Caramac is a brand of caramel-flavoured chocolate bar that is manufactured by Nestle, a Swiss multinational food and beverage company.
The bar has a smooth, creamy caramel-flavored center that is made with condensed milk, glucose syrup, and vegetable oil, and is coated in a layer of chocolate.
Caramac was first introduced in the United Kingdom in 1959 by Mackintosh’s, which was later acquired by Nestle. The bar is known for its unique flavour and is often used in baking recipes, such as Caramac Millionaire’s Shortbread and Caramac Fudge. Sadly after more than 60 years, Nestle decided to discontinue Caramac chocolate bar in 2023.
Traditional sweets & chocolate bars that were also popular in the 1950s in the UK
In addition to the chocolate bars and sweets already mentioned that were first introduced to the market in the 1950s, there are other chocolate bars that were already popular and were sold in the UK during the 1950s.
- Fry’s Chocolate Cream: This bar, made with fondant centre enrobed in dark chocolate, was already a classic by the 1950s.
- Fry’s Five Centres was first introduced in 1934 and was a version of the Fry’s Chocolate Cream only this chocolate bar had five different flavoured fondant centres. The flavours included strawberry, pineapple, lime, orange, and raspberry.
- Turkish Delight: Chocolate-covered Turkish Delight was also enjoyed during the 1950s.
- Mars Bar: The famous combination of nougat, caramel, and milk chocolate.
- Milky Way: A lighter chocolate bar with a whipped nougat centre.
- KitKat: The iconic wafer chocolate bar, which has been around since the 1930s, was also popular in the 1950s.
- Crunchie: This chocolate bar had honeycomb centre covered with milk chocolate.
Popular sweets in the UK during the 1950s included a variety of non-branded and branded sweets, some of which were:
- Liquorice Allsorts: A mix of liquorice candies that came in various shapes, sizes, and colours.
- Raspberry Drops: Hard candy with a raspberry flavour.
- Dolly Mixture: A mixture of small, multi-coloured fondant shapes.
- Gobstoppers: Hard candy spheres that revealed layers of different colours and flavours as they were sucked on.
- Sherbet Lemons: Lemon-flavored boiled sweets with a fizzy sherbet center.
- Toffee: Chewy caramel candy that came in various forms and flavours.
- Toffos: Individually wrapped chewy toffee candies that came in various flavours.
- Black Jacks: These sweets have aniseed flavour and black colour. They were first produced in the 1920s by a company called Trebor Bassett, which later became part of the Cadbury.
This blog post was originally written on 18 February 2024 and last updated on 18 February 2024
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