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You know as well as we do, that the British absolutely love their sweets! There’s no doubt that this is in part due to the many magical British sweet-makers who played a huge part in shaping generations of sweet lovers. With huge British brands like Swizzels, Kingsway and Rowntree’s, it is no surprise, really!
Sweets in Britain have a longer history than you may think – it was in the Victorian era that they really became popular in mainstream Britain. Since then, British brands have created some of the most iconic and inventive treats to grace the world of confectionery! A depth of favourites ranging from hard-boiled classics to pick n mix favourites, chewy favourites like Wine Gums and Drumstick lollies, British sweets are as great now as they have ever been.
Of course, you know exactly which are your favourites, but how much do you actually know about British sweets? Sink your teeth into our British Sweets Quiz, which is 10 questions (plus a bonus tiebreaker!) all about the most iconic British sweets. Have fun with friends and family, compete for your favourite sweets and learn some tasty trivia. Answers are at the bottom of the page, but we’re trusting you to play fair!
Questions
1. Doctor Who is one of the biggest shows on telly and is an outright British icon! Tom Baker played the role for longer than anyone else, and his incarnation famously had a sweet tooth – but what British sweet was his favourite?
a. Jelly Babies
b. Lollipops
c. Fruit Salad
2. Over the years, many British sweet brands have had memorable and entertaining adverts. Which sweets had signed off their TV ads with the phrase do it, before you chew it?
a. Chewits
b. Sports Mix
c. Fruit Pastilles
3. Did you know that Maynards Wine Gums have been around for more than 100 years?! But the real question is this: how many flavours were in the original mix?
a. Four
b. Five
c. Six
4. Love Hearts are one of the most recognisable British sweets, and their origins can be traced back to a popular Victorian sweet. Do you know what their name was initially?
a. Conversation Lozenges
b. Chatterboxes
c. Sweet Treats
5. British people love pick and mix sweets! But do you know which was the most popular in the UK last year?
a. Giant Strawberries
b. Fizzy Bubblegum Bottles
c. Yellow Bellies
6. Introduced way back in 1925, what is the name of the popular treat where a liquorice stick is dipped into tangy sherbet?
a. Sherbet Fountain
b. Dip Dab
c. Double Dip
7. Sweets fans of all ages recognise the iconic yellow and pink of Barratt Fruit Salad sweets. The iconic taste was born as moreish chews and nowadays can also be found in candy floss, ice lollies and the amazing Barratt Fruit Salad Rope! But which two fruits combine for its signature flavour?
a. Raspberry and pineapple
b. Strawberry and lemon
c. Grape and lime
8. Part of the Mars family, Skittles were actually first created and sold in the UK by a British Mars distributor and are still known for their out of this world fruitiness and chewy texture to this day. But, which of these is their famous slogan?
a. Eat the universe
b. Taste the rainbow
c. Play the game
9. Created way back in the 17th century, Pontefract Cakes may well be the oldest British sweet. But do you know where in Britain they were invented?
a. Lincolnshire
b. Derbyshire
c. Yorkshire
10. People of all ages adore Swizzels Rainbow Drops. They’re so moreish and such a light and fun treat. But do you savour them enough to tell us how many colours there are?
a. Three
b. Four
c. Five
And there you have it, ten brain teasers on brilliant British sweets! We only hope you enjoy the quiz as much as we enjoyed dreaming it up. If you’re hosting the quiz, then scroll just a bit further for your answers. However, if you’re playing along for fun and fancy indulging in some of the featured favourites, then why not treat yourself? We have all of them here at Wholesale Sweets, where we offer the biggest and best range alongside incredible value and delivery directly to your door!
Whether you’re looking to treat yourself or grab some treats to dish out as prizes for this quiz, or making party bags, or for any reason whatsoever, you’ll find brilliant British sweets, as well as global favourites, here at Wholesale Sweets. We’re as passionate about indulging our sweet tooth as anyone out there and are always working to provide you with the best choice of the very best treats.
Answers
1. a. Jelly Babies: That’s right, Jelly Babies are the chosen sweet of the fourth incarnation of everyone’s favourite time-travelling Doctor. Throughout his reign, he would regularly offer them to companions throughout the galaxy. We can’t say we’d be as generous with our favourites!
2. a. Chewits: The campaign wasn’t the most famous from the brand, but it did hit the nail on the head – once you start chewing Chewits, you won’t be the same afterwards!
3. b. Five: Each colour of the classic Maynards Wine Gums has a different flavour and is stamped with a different kind of wine. The traditional flavours are strawberry, orange, blackcurrant, lemon and lime.
4. a. Conversation Lozenges: You can certainly see where the name came from, because Swizzels Love Hearts are still amazing conversation starters today!
5. a. Giant Strawberries: According to Hancocks, the UK’s leading confectionery wholesaler, the most popular pick n mix sweet of last year was the Giant Strawberry. These fruity favourites have been around for a while, but in 2024 Brits couldn’t get enough of them.
6. a. Barratt Sherbet Fountain: If you haven’t heard of this sweet, then ask your parents – they’ve probably had a few! Originally, the liquorice stick came inside a paper bag of sherbet, whereas the treat has modernised over the years through a paper tube with the liquorice peeking out the top, and into today’s plastic tub variation.
7. a. Raspberry and pineapple: Officially, the combination of raspberry and pineapple is what you are tasting when you eat Barratt Fruit Salad. It makes sense with the colours, doesn’t it?
8. b. Taste the rainbow: Due to their colourful nature, it makes sense for Skittles to have this slogan on their packets. The slogan has been used by the brand since 1994!
9. c. Yorkshire: Pontefract Cakes are named after the Yorkshire town where they were first made, which was famous for growing liquorice plants. Pontefract Cakes were initially a medicinal tablet, until chemist George Dunhill added sugar to them in 1760 and they became the sweet treat that is still enjoyed today.
10. b. Four: Despite what you might think, there are only four different colours of Rainbow Drops – so not quite as many as an actual rainbow! Each pack does have orange, pink, green and yellow Drops in it, though.
Bonus Question
Now, if you have a draw after the first ten questions, we can’t leave it at that – who wins the grand prize?! If you need to crown a winner, then here’s a tricky, bonus question: throughout the year, how many sweets did the average Brit consume in 2024?
Scroll down for the answer and to crown your winner. Closest answer wins!
Bonus Answer
23.1kg – In total, it is estimated that the UK as a whole consumed 1.55 million tonnes of confectionery. If you ever needed yet more proof of just how much we loved our sweets, there it is!
Hopefully, you’ve enjoyed our British Sweets Quiz, whether you’ve tested the brains of your friends and family or just your own! As always, we are proud to bring you the best confectionery shopping experience! Whatever the occasion, we’ve worked hard to make sure that everyone can enjoy great value on all of the best sweets, chocolate, and confectionery that the industry has to offer. We provide an easy shopping experience with the range and value of a cash and carry – but we deliver it straight to your door! What’s not to love?!