– It’s empty all the time, and when we first get it in, it goes so quickly, then it’s gone again, says Signe Egge-Hoveid. She works as a sales associate in the candy shop Yummy Heaven, and talks about a global candy trend that has emptied the bulk shelves for Bubs, a Swedish candy brand that was recently acquired by Norwegian Orkla. – There are a lot of young people who have started to come, which it didn’t used to be. So it’s really just really nice, but now it’s all gone, so it’s a bit silly, then. Signe Egge-Hoveid notices in her friends that they miss Bubs: – They have been in a slightly worse mood lately. Photo: Anders Eidesvik / Anders Eidesvik The candy store in Greenland has had to reorganize the entire store to make up for the lack of Bubs. – Bubs used to be at the forefront, but now we kind of have to have two of each different candy to make up for the lack of Bubs. So it’s a bit silly for us. We used to have a lot more variety. Although the store does not have Bubs in bulk, they can still be found in bags. Photo: Anders Eidesvik / Anders Eidesvik When customers ask about Bubs in bulk, Egge-Hoveid often has to disappoint them and say that they are empty. – Then they say “Hey, don’t you have Bubs? After all, you are the ones who should always have it!” They just get really upset. – Autumn depression and Bubs shortage at the same time? – That combo is not good. It will be bad. Although the store does not have Bubs in bulk, they can still be found in bags. Global TikTok Trend Scandinavian candy has gone viral on TikTok. As of today, there are over 25,000 videos on TikTok under the hashtag #SwedishCandy. The videos have several million views. Americans in particular have had their eyes opened to Swedish sweets. Swedish and Norwegian sweets are sold there for outrageous prices. There, one kilo of Bubs costs up to NOK 600. Signe Egge-Hoveid shows off a TikTok in which a Swede complains that the Americans have stolen the candy from them. This is one of many TikTok videos dealing with the global candy trend. Photo: Anders Eidesvik / Anders Eidesvik It is not a price Signe Egge-Hoveid would have been willing to pay. – Absolutely not. It was a thing here in Scandinavia. We had Bubs to ourselves and we could pay a lower price. So I would never pay American prices for Bubs. – But now it has become an international trend? – Yes, it has. Especially in the US. But it is very sad. We can’t have anything for ourselves anymore. So it’s stupid. Scandinavian candy protectionism – There has been a lot of speculation in social media about whether we ship everything to the US. But I can deny that, we don’t do that, says communications director at Orkla Confectionary & Snacks, Elisabeth Aandstad Ekheim. We are selling much more than expected, says communications director Elisabeth Aandstad Ekheim. Photo: Thomas Brun Orkla bought the Swedish candy brand Bubs last year. Ekheim is clear that priority is given to Norwegian and Swedish customers. – Are you engaging in candy protectionism by preventing exports to the USA in order to safeguard the markets here at home? – In the long term, when we have increased capacity, we of course also hope to be able to reach a more international market. But now it is Sweden and Norway that are prioritized, Ekheim states. It’s not just Yummy Heaven that has run out of Bubs. There are also no Bubs in the candy shelves at Jacobs in the Majorstuen. Photo: Alfred Skartveit Helskog The scarcity of Bubs in stores can help strengthen the trend, believes marketing expert Karl-Fredrik Tangen at Kristiania University College. – In the short term, the scarcity is a reinforcing factor because it gives that attention, and it gives that stress, says Tangen. Marketing expert Karl-Fredrik Tangen has children who constantly want Bubs. Photo: Lars Tore Endresen / news Especially for the Americans who have jumped on the trend, uniqueness is an important factor. – Such bubbles and hype and fads are linked to the feeling that you are a little special. “I have discovered something Scandinavian before the others have,” says Tangen. Published 25/10/2024, at 11.29
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TikTok trend empties store shelves of small goodies – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
