Chewits have been around since 1965 and somehow still feel exactly right. There’s no reinvention, no limited edition collaborations with influencers, no rebranding. Just a small, chewy square of fruit-flavoured sweet that you’re through before you’ve really registered eating it. That’s the appeal. That’s always been the appeal.
If you’re after a full rundown of Chewits flavours, the history behind them, and where to pick up a box, you’re in the right place.
The History of Chewits
Where Did Chewits Come From?
Chewits were created by Leaf International and first launched in the UK in 1965. The original flavour was strawberry, and it was an immediate hit. The sweet sat in a gap in the market between hard boiled sweets and chocolate bars: something chewy, fruity and satisfying that you could share from a pack or eat the whole thing yourself without much guilt.
The brand changed hands a few times over the decades. Today Chewits are owned by Cloetta, a Swedish confectionery company. Despite the ownership history, the product itself has stayed remarkably consistent. The recipe, the size, the wrapper style: all essentially unchanged from what people were eating in the 1970s.
The Chewits Mascot
If you grew up in the UK in the 80s or 90s, you’ll probably remember Chewie the Dinosaur. The cartoon mascot appeared in TV adverts showing a giant dinosaur eating buildings, buses and anything else he could get his hands on, with Chewits being the only thing that actually satisfied him. It ran for years and became one of the more memorable sweet adverts of that era. The tagline was simple: “Chewits. He can’t stop eating them.” Relatable, honestly.
Chewits Flavours: The Full List
Strawberry
The original and still the most popular. Strawberry Chewits have that specific artificial strawberry flavour that tastes nothing like a real strawberry and is somehow completely, undeniably correct. It’s the benchmark every other flavour gets compared against. If you’ve ever had one type of Chewit in your life, it was almost certainly strawberry.
Fruit Salad
A mixed fruit flavour that covers orange, lemon and a handful of other fruit notes in one go. Fruit Salad Chewits are slightly less intense than the strawberry variety, which makes them easy to eat in quantity without realising how many you’ve had. Good for people who find the straight strawberry version a bit much after the first few.
Blackcurrant
Dark and slightly sharper than the other fruit flavours. Blackcurrant Chewits have a proper bite to them and tend to be the favourite of people who like their sweets on the less sweet side. Not as widely stocked as strawberry, but worth picking up when you spot them.
Cola
Cola is where Chewits get interesting. You get that fizzy drink flavour in solid chewy form, which sounds strange but works really well. It appeals to a slightly different crowd from the fruit flavours and sits well alongside a wider pick n mix selection.
Other Flavours
Over the years Chewits have released various limited and seasonal flavours including bubblegum, watermelon and ice cream. These come and go depending on the year. The core range of strawberry, fruit salad, blackcurrant and cola is what you’ll reliably find in stock most of the time.
What Are Chewits Actually Made Of?
Ingredients and Allergens
Chewits are made from glucose syrup, sugar, palm oil, citric acid and flavourings, along with stabilisers and colours that vary by variety. They don’t contain nuts, and most varieties are free from the major allergens you’d typically worry about with confectionery. If you have a specific allergy, always check the pack before eating.
Are Chewits Vegan?
Standard Chewits don’t contain gelatine, which is good news. The potential issue is that some flavours use carmine (E120) as a colouring, which is derived from insects and not suitable for vegans. Flavours that use only plant-based colourings are fine. Check the specific pack you’re buying rather than assuming all varieties are the same. If you want sweets you know are vegan without checking every label, the vegan sweets section has clearly labelled options throughout.
Are Chewits Gluten Free?
Chewits don’t contain any gluten ingredients and are generally considered safe for people avoiding gluten. If you have coeliac disease rather than a general preference, check the packaging for cross-contamination warnings. For a broader selection of sweets that are specifically labelled gluten free, the gluten free sweets range is a good place to start.
How Chewits Compare to Other Chewy Sweets
Chewits vs Starburst
This is the obvious comparison. Both are small, fruit-flavoured chewy squares. The key difference is texture: Starburst are softer and more yielding, while Chewits have a firmer, denser chew that takes a bit more work. Starburst also have a wider standard flavour range. Which one wins comes down to personal preference, but Chewits fans tend to be loyal in a way Starburst fans aren’t.
Chewits vs Maoam
Maoam Stripes are another chewy fruit sweet that often gets mentioned alongside Chewits. Maoam are slightly longer and thinner, with a more intense flavour and a stickier texture. Both are solid additions to a chew bars selection. If you haven’t had both back to back, it’s worth doing.
Why Chewits Win on Consistency
What Chewits have over most of the competition is that they haven’t been messed with. They taste the same today as they did 40 years ago, and that’s rarer than it sounds. A lot of classic British sweets have been quietly tweaked over the years. Chewits haven’t. They’re one of the most reliably unchanged retro sweets you can still buy, right up there with the best of the 1970s sweet shop classics.
Buying Chewits: What to Know
Single Packs vs Buying in Bulk
A single pack of Chewits is a small flat tube with around 10 sweets inside. That’s a perfectly fine quick fix, but it disappears fast. For parties, events or just stocking up at home, buying by the box is a much better deal per unit. A full box gives you a load of individual packs to dip into over time or hand out to people.
Where to Buy Chewits Online
The Chewits range at One Pound Sweets includes the main flavour varieties with fast UK delivery. Free shipping applies to all orders over £20, and individual packs are priced at £1, so hitting that threshold is straightforward. Orders go out within one to two working days as standard.
Chewits are one of those sweets people forget about until they have one, and then immediately want more. They’ve stayed exactly the same for 60 years for a reason: because they got it right first time.
Shop Chewits at One Pound Sweets
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Frequently asked questions
Everything you need to know about Chewits