Sweet Way to Go Gay! Wonderful Spangles ads from the 1950s

 

When Spangles were introduced to the British public in 1950 sweets and sugar were still rationed. However Spangles, compared with many other sweets, only needed one ration point instead of the more usual two. Because of this and together with Mars putting a large amount of money behind an effective advertising campaign Spangles became particularly popular to the confectionary-starved UK market.

It only lasted about a generation and by 1984 and Mars decided it was all over for old-fashioned sweets. Spangles were re-introduced ten years later but only sold in Woolworths and with just two flavours – orange and blackcurrant. It was only a brief, last flourish and the translucent fruit flavoured sweets were soon discontinued forever.