Bulk confectionery

History

Sweden

Bulk confectionery (Swedish: lösgodis) dates back to the 1930s, when Swedish agriculture became self sufficient in refined sugar. That made sugar cheap, and candies accessible to almost the entire population. In 1984, the Swedish National Food Agency (Livsmedelsverket) approved selling it in ordinary larger stores, provided that the candy varieties are kept in separate containers and picked with a scoop or a smaller bucket. The widespread availability of bulk confectionery is the main reason Sweden has the highest candy consumption in the world.

Self-serve loose candy walls were introduced by two Finnish students educated in Stockholm, Sweden. They developed the idea in Helsinki, Finland, in the early 1980s. Since then it has started to spread all around the world, mostly in Europe and Asia. Even some IKEA stores in North America have started to sell mostly Swedish varieties but also American classics.

Swedes had the highest per capita candy consumption in the world since at least 2009. Maundy Thursday is the biggest selling day in grocery stores. In Sweden, about 18 kg of candy are consumed per person per year (as of 2014).

United States

The first penny candy to be sold in the United States was the Tootsie Roll, in 1907, followed by Necco Wafers and Hershey's Kisses in subsequent decades. Bulk-sale of candy in the 20th century US was mainly through the F.W. Woolworth Company’s five and dime store chain, which closed in the 1990s, marking an end in popularity of the phenomenon.

Gallery

File:Candysticksphoto.jpg#file|Peppermint and other candy sticks File:Dscn0452.jpg#file|A lollipop File:Jawbreaker_plate.jpg#file|A plate of gobstoppers in various sizes File:Bit-o-Honey_3.jpg#file|Bit-o-Honey File:Gummy_bears.jpg#file|Gummy bears

References

References

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3. (2021-12-09). "En ständig kamp mot sockret".
4. (22 September 2016). "Lösgodisets dag på söndag den 25/9!". mynewsdesk.com.
5. "Lösviktsgodis". kioskpiraten.se.
6. (13 April 2017). "Älskade godis – från bröstsocker till självplock {{!}} SvD". Svenska Dagbladet.
7. (2009-10-29). "Svenskarna äter mest godis i världen".
8. Goldfield, Hannah. (2018-05-18). "How to Eat Candy Like a Swedish Person".
9. Sörbring, Gunnar. (29 October 2009). "Swedes eat the most candy in the world". [[Dagens Nyheter]].
10. (16 April 2014). "Pick and mix candy from Sweden - an increasingly tasty export". Dagens Nyheter.
11. "Le Cordon Bleu {{!}} The History of Penny Candy".