What do you most love to pile into your pick and mix pot?

It’s a question likely to divide the nation in the same way as to whether pineapple belongs on a pizza...and that’s what sits best in a serving of sweets?

Ever since Frank Winfield Woolworth introduced his concept of pick and mix stands to the UK decades ago, have those with a sweet tooth had very strong opinions about what combination of tiny treats works.

And while we all have fond memories of shoveling anything from cola bottles to teddy bears into paper cups or bags – high street retailer Wilko says it has now crunched the numbers and come up with a definitive list as to the UK’s favourite pick and mix choices. Scroll down for the full list

The history of pick and mix

The first UK Woolworths opened in Church Street, Liverpool in 1909 and one of its most popular counters soon became the sweet section.

Allowing customers to freely mix their choices – cramming anything from boiled sweets to toffees into one bag – was a novel idea and shoppers were initially charged around two pence for a quarter pound.

It was however, reportedly not until the 1950s that the official name ‘pick’n’mix’ was adopted by the Woolworth chain, which went into administration in the UK in 2009.

Top tier choices

Wilko, which is among the shops, supermarkets and cinemas now selling pick and mix alongside many independent confectioners says it has used its own sales data to determine the most popular sweets.

From ‘gold tier’ choices to more average options – buyers at the shop have revealed that jellybeans are people’s number one choice when piling their pot high.

The bean-shaped sweet with a firm crispy coating and gelatinous centre is described by buyers at the store as being top among a ‘gold tier’ of the most popular pick and mix options.

Joining first-place jellybeans, says Wilko, are fizzy bubblegum bottles, cherries and jelly stretch snakes which according to shoppers buying habits, point to being the ultimate favourites in the nation’s pick and mix pots.

These are swiftly followed by fried eggs, juicy strawberries, the black and raspberry berries, pink and white mice, and fizzy cola bottles which all fall among the those wilko describes as the ‘great’ tier.

Averaging a ‘good’ rating on the pyramid of our favourite sweets, according to its expert insight, are blue raspberry bonbons, fizzy dummies, fizzy cherry bottles, chocolate raisins and milk teeth.

While jelly foam hearts, giant snowies, vanilla fudge, giant cola bottles and teddy bears are more ‘average’ staples.

Daniel Bingham, Senior Buyer at Wilko, said: “Pick & mix is an all-time favourite for so many Brits, sparking a nostalgic wave of childhood memories.

“And even today, they represent a best-seller at wilko, with adults and children alike still buying our pick & mix pots in their thousands each week.

“We’re not surprised that jellybeans take top spot, with sales sky-high, with other top sellers including fizzy bubblegum bottles, cherries, and black and raspberries.”