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points by linksnapzz 3 days ago | 0 comments
Hold On Right There.

There are people go out of their way to buy...American candy in the UK?

Utterly perverted.

[–] harvey9 3 days ago
Numerous reports over many years that they don't have many real customers and exist mainly to enable a tax scam / money laundering.
[–] Symbiote 3 days ago
(Yes, at the M&Ms shop in Leicester Square. Probably never visited by anyone from London, just tourists.)

But the "American Candy Shop" places were/are doing money laundering and/or tax fraud. They can say they sold individual candies for £0.50 (cost: 5p each), the profit goes to a shell company in the Virgin Islands etc, and before the business taxes are due the company "goes bust" and disappears. Then a new one takes its place.

4 years ago: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jul/04/us-swe...

This year: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/18/dodgy-shops-ha...

[–] nprateem 3 days ago
They're some kind of tax/ business rates scam judging by how many there are.
[–] shermantanktop 3 days ago
I have seen more distinct candy brands/types in those shops than I ever have in the US. Plus jars of marshmallow goo called “Fluf” for some reason?
[–] cucumber3732842 3 days ago
> Plus jars of marshmallow goo called “Fluf” for some reason?

The fudge recipe on the back is actually really good FYI

Also the containers are a nice pliable rubbery plastic so they're good to repurpose for garage use.

[–] linksnapzz 2 days ago
Marshmallow Fluff is used, amongst other things, to make the traditional questionably-nutritious New England delicacy, the Fluff & Peanut-Butter Sandwich, or fluffernutter. Around the Boston area, it was used more or less like euros use nutella.
[–] williamdclt 3 days ago
No, which is why it's so transparent that these are money laundering operations
[–] sodastar 3 days ago
i mean just talking for me: american pop culture is just so omnipresent, that even from europe i know what pop tarts, gushers, mountain dew and a wendys is.

All these stores dont exist in my country, you can buy watered down mountain dew, pop tarts for 10€ per box and the local fast food chains are mcdonalds, burger king and subway with an occasional kfc and a metropol city may have a pizza hut.

Sure its all marketing, but if im paying 10€ for a delivery pizza i at least want the box to look like a domino piece.

Most of US sweets ive tried were okayish, my favorite being reeses small cups. Was disappointed by how bad cheeze-its are, they were given away in stores as the sales were so poor and started with a money back promotion and still didnt get sold. Takis seem to have found their way, also taco bell (i know its tex-mex, but still a variety from burgers) opened stores in germany and the netherlands hoping it reaches a broader audience and can get more people attracted as i actually like the food given the price point and being somewhat more healthy than a quarter pounder with cheese.

Softdrinks on the other hand really do taste better. European Gatorade is cat piss compared to US Gatorade. Mountain Dew like i said is only the base version and even this tastes watered down. Hoping for a baja blast rollout in EU with taco bell making a push here. Dr Pepper is really awful in europe compared to american dr pepper but at the end its all about personal preference. Ive seen a lot of americans loving Moser Roth Chocolate from the european Aldi which is their expensive version of good chocolate but still at a discounter price. People that love this would probably die for godiva or leonidas chocolate.

[–] linksnapzz 2 days ago
>that even from europe i know what pop tarts, gushers, mountain dew and a wendys is.

I mean, I know they exist too, but that's orthogonal to wanting to eat any of it...

>Was disappointed by how bad cheeze-its are,

My experience is that Cheez-Its are more often than other chips or crackers, likely to go stale on the shelf-might have something to do with the recipe.

>also taco bell (i know its tex-mex, but still a variety from burgers) opened stores in germany and the netherlands hoping it reaches a broader audience and can get more people attracted as i actually like the food given the price point and being somewhat more healthy than a quarter pounder with cheese.

For many years in RI, Taco Bell was the only mexican place we had. Finding authentic Tex-Mex was worth a trip (as far as North Carolina) when I was in 7th grade. As for it being healthier than a QP...ymmv depending on the menu....

As for drinks...how do you screw up Gatorade & Dr Pepper? The syrup/powder just needs to be reconstituted...is it something in the water?

Also, yes, Moser Roth chocolate at Aldi is a steal, quality-wise.