Fight against candy shops heats up after huge haul of sweets is incinerated --[Reported by Umva mag]

More than 600 illegal sweets have been incinerated as Londoners continue to fight back against the seemingly endless American candy shops appearing on Oxford Street.

Westminster City Council said they seized 676 sweets, cereals and crisps at a store on London’s most famous shopping street as they contained ingredients banned in the UK.

It comes as Londoners try to bring some life back into Oxford Street after complaints the shops were taking up too much space – despite appearing to have very little foot fall.

Music chain HMV also reopened their flagship Oxford Street store after they were taken over by a sweet shop to delight of the many who flocked to mark its return.

Last year small businesses were offered rent-free spaces to prevent more American candy shops from opening, with ‘innovative and cutting-edge’ shops pushed to apply.

The continued raids on the American candy stores began in 2022 after Westminster Council launched a tax scam investigation on more than 30 shops across the West End for allegedly avoiding business rates of at least £5.4million.

This includes Kingdom of Sweets, which has 12 stores in the UK and others in Ireland, Germany and the Netherlands, is among the outlets being probed.

Pictures show bags packed full of the illicit items valued at £2,852.75 ready to be taken away and destroyed.

Several of the chocolate bars were not labelled in English, meaning consumers were unable to check the products for ingredients, sell by dates or allergens.

Trading standards teams also uncovered illicit Lucky Charms cereal, KitKats, Lion bars and a variety of bottled drinks including Mirinda and Fanta all containing ‘dangerous’ and ‘harmful’ ingredients.

This is the latest raid on the premises which was previously found to be selling Swedish Fish and Hot Tamales sweets, which are banned in the UK due to the impact their additive ingredients can have on children.

Council staff attended Westminster Magistrates’ Court on October 1 where the destruction of 676 goods was ordered and £3,110.25 was awarded.

The seized snacks are now set to be incinerated, which the business is also required to pay for.

Cllr Adam Hug, WCC’s leader, said: ‘We are continuing to make the lives of unscrupulous traders a nightmare through regular enforcement action and putting pressure on landlords.

‘This collection of illegal sweets was enough to send a shiver down anyone’s spine.

‘There are more raids coming in the next few weeks, so I hope traders who seem happy to sell illegal goods to children are ready for a fright.’

In 2022 an investigation was launched into American sweet shops which dominate Oxford Street.

Some stores – which have been accused of evading £8million in business rates – have been found flogging fake Wonka chocolate bars and Rolexes.

Other London candy shops are also selling sweets that are so sweet they would be illegal to manufacture in the UK.

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