Top 10 British Retro Sweets You Forgot Existed

Close your eyes and think back to Saturday afternoons at the local sweet shop, a small paper bag in hand, picking out your favourites one by one. For many of us in the UK, retro sweets aren't just confectionery — they're edible time machines. Here are 10 classic British sweets that deserve a serious comeback.

1. Pear Drops

Few sweets are as iconic as the pear drop — hard-boiled, pear-shaped, and coated in that signature fine sugar. The two-tone pink and yellow colour made them instantly recognisable in any pick & mix tray.

2. Sherbet Lemons

The humble sherbet lemon is a masterpiece of British sweet-making. A hard lemon-flavoured shell cracking open to reveal fizzing sherbet inside — what more could you ask for?

3. Fizzy Cola Bottles

Cola bottles have never gone away — and for good reason. Chewy, tangy, and shaped like a tiny bottle, they remain one of the most popular pick & mix choices in the UK.

4. Rhubarb & Custard Boiled Sweets

A proper British classic. The tartness of rhubarb balanced against the creamy sweetness of custard, all wrapped up in a hard-boiled sweet. These are the kind of sweets you'd find in your nan's handbag.

5. Aniseed Balls

Not for the faint-hearted! Aniseed balls divided opinion in every playground. The strong liquorice-like flavour and the tiny aniseed at the centre made them utterly addictive.

6. Kola Kubes

Bigger and bolder than a cola bottle, the kola kube is a hard-boiled sweet with an intense cola flavour. One of these would last an entire episode of Grange Hill.

7. Black Jacks

Black Jacks are the ultimate retro chew — a penny sweet with a powerful aniseed flavour that would turn your tongue jet black. Brilliant for scaring younger siblings.

8. Strawberry Bon Bons

Soft, chewy, and dusted in sugar — strawberry bon bons are one of those sweets that you genuinely cannot stop eating. They're exactly as good as you remember.

9. Wham Bars

The Wham Bar is practically a cultural institution. A sour, chewy, raspberry-flavoured bar packed with popping candy. If you weren't chomping on one of these in the 80s or 90s, were you even there?

10. Flying Saucers

Rice paper discs filled with sherbet — alien in concept, heavenly in taste. Flying saucers are one of those sweets that feel like they shouldn't work, but absolutely do.

Relive the Magic at Maggie's Sweet Shop

Every single one of these classics — and many more — are available at Maggie's Sweet Shop. Whether you're treating yourself to a nostalgic pick & mix or sending a retro sweet hamper to a friend, we've got you covered with free UK delivery on orders over £20.