n'Jonas: The Candy Bag Grew – And We Fell For It

The author expresses dismay over the current state of candy offerings, noting a lack of variety and the disappearance of beloved old-fashioned sweets. Shelves are dominated by the same few options, such as raspberry licorice skulls, Center caramels, and Ferrari cars, leaving the author longing for nostalgic treats like teacups that melt on the tongue or fizzy cola bottles.

Most notably, the author misses the "chocolate eclairs", described as "earthly heavens of hard, chewy butterscotch that slowly soften and release milk chocolate", which have not been available for years. This loss is attributed to a candy giant, Candy King, which has acquired competitors, leading to a "homogenized" and "boring" market, eliminating brands like Godisprinsen and Gottmix.

This observation leads to a broader reflection on consumption trends. The author contrasts the small paper candy bags of the 1970s and 80s with modern, oversized bags. A quick online search reveals that contemporary candy bags can hold 20 times more than their predecessors from the 70s. This prompts a question: how did society cross these thresholds of indulgence without reflection?

The trend of increasing container sizes extends beyond candy. Starbucks' largest latte mug holds nearly six deciliters, five times more than a traditional coffee cup. Wine glasses have also expanded significantly. However, the author notes a contradictory trend: a 500-gram package of coffee has shrunk to 450 grams. Similarly, juice cartons, chocolate assortments, and ice cream bars have become smaller. The author concludes that while containers for self-serve items have grown to encourage more purchasing, the contents of pre-packaged goods have decreased, serving as a way to obscure price increases. "In other words, we get less for our money, but more space to fill."