Adults crying out for jellie babies

Jelly babies are the nation’s favourite childhood sweets, according to a national poll from Taveners Proper Sweets. The classic treats, which will be 90 years’ old next year, beat chocolate éclairs, fruit pastilles, wine gums, chocolate limes, American hard gums, flying saucers, sherbet lemons and aniseed balls in a survey of nostalgic treats.

Traditional sweet makers Taveners asked more than 1000 adults which sweets reminded them most of their childhood – and a fifth of respondents plumped for the humble jelly baby.

In the survey, 40 per cent of adults said they used to spend at least half of their pocket money on confectionery, with an especially sweet-toothed 12 per cent spending all their weekly allowance on sugary treats.

Chores like hoovering, gardening and car washing were top of the list for earning extra cash for sweets, while some entrepreneurial kids used to collect pop bottles for their deposits.

Helen Sears from Taveners said: “Jelly babies are a national institution. Many of us associate the colour, taste and smell of them with happy childhood memories. After 90 years, they’re still hugely popular today.”

Taveners, based in Blackpool, has been making ‘proper’ sweets for nearly 100 years. The company has just re-launched its range of traditional sweets, with all natural colours and flavours, no added salt and no hydrogenated fats. The irresistible range includes humbugs, wine gums, jelly babies and dairy toffee.

In the survey, adults were also asked what items they would most like to bring back from their childhood. Respondents voted for:

- Classic computer games, including Pac Man, Donkey Kong and Jet Set Willy (24%)
- LP records (19%)
- Space hoppers (11.9%)
- Funky 70s clothing (10%)
- Playschool on TV (9.5%)