Friday 10 June 2022 03:25 PM MPs call for investigation of entire network of American candy stores across ... trends now
American candy stores were today branded 'the modern day childcatcher' amid calls for an investigation into similar stores that have cropped up on high streets across the country.
MailOnline today revealed a huge £7.9million tax scam investigation has been launched into scores of the themed shops on Oxford Street and the West End of London including the major Kingdom of Sweets chain. We also revealed the brand and some of its rivals are using TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to lure children into their store.
Some London candy shops are also selling sweets that are so sweet they would be illegal to manufacture in the UK.
Nickie Aiken, Tory MP for the Cities of London and Westminster – which includes Oxford Street - branded the stores 'sinister'. She told MailOnline: ‘I think they are wrong on a number of levels - what they're offering and the way they entice young people and children into their stores with these bizarre marketing strategies. They are a bit like the modern day childcatcher.
‘I think the other point to make is the landlords on Oxford Street obviously want to keep their premises open with tenants. But these shops don't really do much for the ambiance of Oxford Street. They bring it down really.
‘So it is a bit of short termism by landlords I would suggest. They really want to be investing in their buildings and investing in the type of tenants that will draw more people in the long term.’
Ms Aitken said she was sure there were similar issues in other parts of the country, but the ‘concentration’ in Oxford Street made it obvious.
There has long been concern about the deluge of tacky, overpriced US-themed sweet and souvenir shops that have been taking over traditional high street retailers on one of the world's most famous shopping streets, including HMV's old flagship site.
There are now at least ten candy stores between Marble Arch and Tottenham Court Road stations alone - equating to roughly one every 200 yards - with some offering other services like foreign currency exchange.
There has been a boom in videos where youngsters try super-sour or sweet American treats and drinks for the first time. Others filmed staff giving visitors, including some apparently still in primary school, free sweets just for popping in and giving a fist bump.
Campaign group Action On Sugar said the stores are exploiting a loophole that means imported US chocolates and candy do not face the same restrictions on sugar content as UK-made products. It means the American-themed superstores sell products containing almost treble the amount of sugar a British child should consume daily, even in a small single serving. Action On Sugar called the targeting of children 'appalling'.
Wera Hobhouse, Lib Dem MP for Bath, said there were three American candy stores in her city, and called for the government to investigate the 'loophole' that allowed super-sweet US candy to be imported into Britain.
Officials probing retailers' tax affairs are understood to be concerned about a purported tactic whereby bosses using a single store name set up numerous limited companies to serve as its legal owner, before closing the companies prior to them being liable for business rates. Two companies which share directors with Kingdom of Sweets - Croftray Limited and Old Green Limited - have already been wound up owing £2million in rates.
The council is also understood to be concerned about another alleged tactic used by rivals of Kingdom of Sweets which sees shops set up in empty buildings to avoid the landlord having to pay business rates on an empty premises, before closing and leaving before the shopkeepers become liable for the tax themselves. There is no suggestion Kingdom of Sweets has been doing this.
Kingdom of Sweets has been approached for comment. There is no suggestion any of the shops pictured in this article are under investigation.
CANDY STORE TAKEOVER OVER THE WEST END - BEFORE and AFTER: HMV's flagship store has been unceremoniously turned into a 'Candy World'
CANDY STORE TAKEOVER OVER THE WEST END - BEFORE and AFTER: The 'American Sweets and Souvenirs' shop on Oxford Street (right) was once a Ryman stationery shop (left). There is no suggestion any of the shops featured in MailOnline's article are being investigated by the council
BEFORE and AFTER: The 'Candylicious London' store on Oxford Street (right) was once a Schuh shop (left)
BEFORE and AFTER: A Coast clothes store on Oxford Street (left) was once in the place of what is now Kingdom of Sweets (right)
Children are being targeted with TikTok videos such as this one, which shows a child trying super sour sweets outside an American Candy Store in central London
In another social media film, this child was shown winning a competition to get 'free candy'
Two children dancing with excitement outside a Kingdom of Sweets store, which has been compared to a theme park for candy
Westminster's Trading Standards team are also looking at inflated prices at a range of chains including up to £20 for a single bag of sweets and £10 for a cereal box of Lucky Charms. This is in addition to claims some stores have no prices on their goods at all.
Some of the stores are also accused of selling out-of-date food and counterfeit products, with the planning department also looking into whether these premises are advertising illegally.
Councillor Adam Hug, leader of Westminster City Council, said: 'Anyone walking down Oxford Street is struck by the ever expanding number of US style sweet shops and poor quality souvenir outlets. They are not only an eye sore; they are a threat to the status and value of what is supposed to be the nation's premier shopping street.
'The problem is that owners of buildings are turning a blind eye to those who sublet them as it means they are not liable for business rates. That's why we have a rash of US candy stores in prestige locations.
'This needs to stop and we will be stepping up pressure on landlords to make it clear they are responsible for Oxford Street being overrun with these kinds of stores. The people selling overpriced sweets are cheating the UK taxpayer and very often swindling their customers into the bargain.'
BEFORE and AFTER: The 'American Candy Store' on Oxford Street (right) is in a shop that once housed a Footasylum (left)
BEFORE and AFTER: The 'Americandy' store with Wonka branding (right) is in a former Accessorize and Monsoon store (left)
BEFORE and AFTER: 'American Sweet Dreams' (right) is on the site of a smaller Holland and Barrett next to an Ann Summers (left)
BEFORE and AFTER: A Phones 4U store (left) used to be on the site of what is now a 'Welcome London' souvenir shop (right)
BEFORE and AFTER: A Boots store (left) used to occupy the space where the 'American Candy Shop' is now located (right)
BEFORE and AFTER: A JD Sports store (left) was once in the retail space now used by a store called 'Candy Shop' (right)
BEFORE and AFTER: 'Vape shops' are popping up, such as in the old St Anne's Church entrance (left) on Shaftesbury Avenue
Councillor Adam Hug, leader of Westminster City Council, said: 'Anyone walking down Oxford Street is struck by the ever-expanding number of US style sweet shops and poor quality souvenir outlets. They are not only an eye sore; they are a threat to the status and value of what is supposed to be the nation's premier shopping street'
It comes amid concerns the rash of American candy stores is harming the West End's status as an attractive shopping destination.
The boom in the colourful shops filled with loud music and bubblegum smells has swallowed other stores struggling to survive - with many famous retailers such as Topshop, House of Fraser and Debenhams closing their doors.
The New West End Company business group pointed out that the shops were not in keeping with the 'evolving face of the high street, nor modern shopping habits'.
The present-day American sweet