Sweden recently moved to curb an old tradition: cousin marriages. However, there is something that the nation does not experience, and that is, it happens every Saturday. Therefore, in any part of the country, it is common to see groups of families or young people walking in and out of stores and shopping malls with bags. Inside there are sweets and candies to be savored like there is no tomorrow. Yes, Saturdays are religion or lördagsgodis and a day for excessive sugar consumption. The problem is that they are literally running out.

Not without honey. Yes, it turns out that Sweden is a country known for its love for sweets, and we can say that desserts are almost a religion. That’s why no one understands what really happened. The country is facing an unprecedented crisis: a shortage of sugar due to a viral phenomenon on TikTok that has triggered global demand, especially in the United States and South Korea, the two countries that have most strongly adopted this phenomenon, but also in other Scandinavian countries. countries.

An “accident” that took control of the mother of all the country’s traditions and arguably one of the most deeply rooted in Swedish culture: lördagsgodis.

Treat on Saturday. The practice of lördagsgodis, introduced by Swedish authorities in the 1950s to reduce tooth decay, consists of something very simple: enjoying sweets, but only once a week (preferably on Saturday). This concept reflects the lagom spirit, a kind of philosophy of the nation that encourages balance and moderation: enjoying, but in the right measure.

To give us an idea of ​​the volumes covered around the “candy” tradition, Swedish families consume on average more than a kilo of sweets in a single night, reinforcing this tradition as an important part of national identity.

We have a problem in Sweden. It looks like the Swedish candy craze started when American TikToker Marygrace Graves shared her experience at Swedish candy shop BonBon in Brooklyn. The video about the pick’n’mix concept went wildly viral, quickly racking up millions of views and popularizing terms like “sugar salad” in the United States.

A breeding ground moved from the United States to South Korea, and from both to other countries neighboring Sweden, which very soon led to long queues and queues at many other stores and unprecedented demand.

Impact on Swedish industry. High and extreme global demand, combined with the Swedish summer holiday tradition where this phenomenon begins beyond borders, has begun to complicate the country’s supply. In fact, companies such as Bubs, one of the main sugar producers, ran out of stocks after selling all their production in the summer months.

According to Niclas Arnelin, director of Bubs manufacturer Orkla, the company even had to reduce its product range to prioritize production of its three most popular series. The situation has escalated to the point that stores in Sweden are rationing batches under the national priority policy, while consumers are asking friends abroad to bring sweets for them. For the first time in its history, Lördagsgodis is in danger.

Scandinavian diaspora. This phenomenon is also explained by the Swedes who one day decided to leave the country. So for Scandinavian expats, lördagsgodis is much more than a simple habit; As with many other traditions of migrating people, this is a connection with their home.

“When you’re away from home, it makes so much sense to be able to enjoy something typical like desserts,” Jonas and Bronte Aurell, owners of London’s ScandiKitchen, who set up their shop precisely because they were missing this tradition, told the Guardian.

It’s a logistical and cultural challenge. A few weeks ago, towards the end of summer, a red line was reached for the country of Sweden: the legal supply of sugar to factories in Sweden was interrupted by a six-week pause, affecting even the best-stocked stores.

Since then, staff at iconic venues like ScandiKitchen have struggled to keep the iconic pick-and-mix section tidy. Deputy manager Freja Haulrik said: “We went through weeks with no deliveries but now we are collecting the supplies. Although there are two licorices very close to each other. He told the British media: “You must separate them!” he explained.

Legacy of balance. The unexpected foray into Swedish desserts has tested the country’s ability to meet an unusual global demand while trying to preserve its cultural tradition. Lördagsgodis, as we have seen, is not just a moment of indulgence, but also a reflection of the Swedish philosophy of balance that it so preaches: enjoyment in moderation, a concept that seems to have resonated with consumers around the world, popularity that transcends borders by curbing overeating on Saturday.

Image | hoilnawoms

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