Pick 'n' mix is a common method used to sell various small items. It is most often used to sell confectionery, whereby small sweets are displayed in tubs or bins. Customers are able to select any combination of items, and using a small shovel or tongs, put them into a container provided, hence the term 'pick and mix'.
Most pick 'n' mix displays are sold by weight, although some are also sold based on a set container size, such as at a salad bar.
In the UK, Woolworths' high street stores were known for selling a range of pick 'n' mix sweets, usually from two separate ranges, with one side being provided by Candyking, and the other made up by Woolworths' themselves. Towards the end of the company's life, they had only one big selection aimed at both adults and children.
The final bag of Woolworths' Pick 'n' Mix was sold on eBay for £14,500.[1]
Since the demise of Woolworths', a number of different retailers have started providing pick 'n' mix to fill the niche.
WH Smith,[2] Wilkinson and supermarket chains Morrisons and Tesco have started to provide ranges from Candyking.
Dobbies and BHS have their pick 'n' mix provided by the Treat Company, while Alworths has created its own range.
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Many independent news agents sell candies this way; unlike supermarkets, however, they do not usually provide pick 'n' mix in self-service form. With the labour required, some news agents made the decision to only sell sweets prepacked by weight (usually per 100 g). In such shops, pick 'n' mix bags are usually kept behind the counter with cigarettes, stamps and lottery tickets.
Some retailers will offer a selection of items as "pick 'n' mix" which may be bought in any combination for a set price; this is a common technique used by Boots the Chemist to sell toiletries.